2016 IdeaFest Program Booklet

Transcription

From the President of
The University of South Dakota
Dear 2016 IdeaFest Participants:
Congratulations on the presentation of your work at the 2016 IdeaFest, the University of South
Dakota’s premier annual showcase of graduate and undergraduate student research, creative
scholarship, and academic engagement. As we celebrate with you, we take pride in both the
breadth of the graduate and professional programs offered at USD and the liberal arts identity
that is at the core of the institution. There is no better representation of all that the University
of South Dakota is than the work of its students, guided by faculty mentors, as presented at
IdeaFest.
During this event, you and your fellow students, graduate and undergraduate, will present the
results of your research, engagement, and creative scholarship. Enjoy the opportunity to share
your work and ideas, but also take advantage of the opportunity that this event gives you to learn
more about the work of your fellow students.
On behalf of the University, thank you for your hard work. I hope you enjoy this year’s festivities!
Sincerely,
James W. Abbott, President
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From the Chairperson of the IdeaFest Committee
Dear IdeaFest Participants:
Welcome to the 2016 IdeaFest celebration and congratulations on your research and creative
endeavors. It is an honor for me to welcome you to the 24th annual showcase featuring the hard work
and ingenuity of our USD students from across campus. On behalf of the IdeaFest Committee, thank
you for sharing your success with us. We celebrate your efforts, commend you for your commitment
and recognize your accomplishments!
Best regards,
Dr. Kris Reed
School of Education
IdeaFest Conference Etiquette
Courtesy: Please turn off your cellphone. Be considerate in other ways, too. When another person is
presenting, avoid whispering, crumpling paper or scurrying about from room to room. As you might
imagine, that distracts everyone, not least of all the presenter(s). So we prefer that you stay in the room
for all presentations. Now, if a dire need requires your presence elsewhere and you absolutely must leave
or enter a room, at least wait until the presentation has been completed. But for everyone’s sake, plan
to remain in the room until all presentations are completed.
During Q & A, we encourage you to ask questions. Often the best questions are those that find
something interesting in the work and ask for an elaboration or clarification, and help the student
develop his/her ideas further.
On behalf of the presenters—plus everyone else in the room— we thank you.
Source: Honors Transfer Council of California http://www.honorstcc.org/
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Summary of 2016 IdeaFest and selected Satellite Events
If you are a person with a disability and need special accomodations to fully participate, please contact Disability
Services at 605-677-6389 48 hours before the event.
April 5, 5:00 pm:
April 7, 7:00 pm:
April 11, 7:00 pm:
Undergraduate Research 101 (ID Weeks 132C)
NMM Live! Concert: Sigiswald Kuijken with the Bach Soceity of Minnesota
Astronomy Day Lecture (Farber Hall)
April 13 (Wednesday)
9:00 – 9:50 am
10:00 – 10:50 am
10:00 – 10:50 am
11:00 – 11:50 am
11:00 – 11:50 am
12:00 – 1:00 pm
1:00 – 1:50 pm
1:00 – 1:50 pm
2:00 – 2:50 pm
2:00 – 3:30 pm
4:00 – 6:00 pm
Oral Session 1 (MUC upstairs)
BADM 350 Legal Environment of Business poster session 1 (MUC main
floor)
Selections from the musical Assassins performed by the USD cast (MUC Pit
Lounge)
The Benefits of Conservation on Human Health: Panel with Keynote
speaker, Dr. Danielle Buttke, and USD participants (MUC Pit Lounge)
Faculty Panel: Incorporating Undergraduate Research and Creative
Scholarship into the Classroom (MUC Pit Lounge)
Poster Session 1 and Participant/Faculty Reception (Ballroom and MUC 2nd
floor balcony)
Keynote Address by Dr. Danielle Buttke “America’s Best Idea: Taking Risks
and Reaping Rewards of Research” (MUC Ballroom)
April 14 (Thursday)
9:20 – 10:50 am
10:00 – 10:50 am
11:00 – 12:30 pm
11:00 – 11:45 am
12:00 – 1:00 pm
12:30—1:30 pm
2:00 – 3:30 pm
4:00 –5:00 pm
Mock Trial (MUC Pit Lounge)
Study Abroad Panel (MUC Pit Lounge)
Music Theatre Panel (MUC Pit Lounge)
BADM 350 Legal Environment of Buisness Poster session 2 (MUC main
floor)
Poster Session 2 (MUC main floor and upstairs)
Faculty Keynote Address by Dr. Kathleen Brown-Rice “Developing a
Research Agenda: Integrating Passion, Scholarship, Collaboration, and
Integrity”, with special guest Dr. Lee Baugh (MUC Ballroom)
April 14-26, various:
Assassins (Warren M. Lee Center for the Fine Arts)
April 18, 1:00 & 3:00 pm: Earth Days: Jonathan Lundgren lectures (Beacom 244, CH 101)
April 21, all day:
51st Annual Student History Conference (MUC)
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2016 IdeaFest – Schedule
(session letters are assigned by room; not all rooms are used for every session)
April 13 (Wednesday)
9:00 – 9:50 am
1a: Micro-Immunology I
MUC 211/211A
1b: Math and Sports
MUC 216
1c: Physical Therapy I
MUC 216A
1d: Cancer Biology
MUC Center for Diversity and Community
1e: Improving Policy through Applied
Research
MUC Ballroom A
1f: Theatre
MUC Ballroom BC
10:00 – 10:50 am
2a: Neurobiology I
MUC 211/211A
2b: Physical Therapy II
MUC 216
2c: Creating a Culture of Sustainability:
Recycling at USD
MUC 216A
2d: Fine Arts I
2e: Interdisciplinary I
MUC Ballroom A
2f: Interdisciplinary II
MUC Ballroom BC
10:00 – 10:50 am
BADM 350 Legal Environment of Business poster session 1 (MUC main
floor)
11:00 – 11:50 am
3a: Interdisciplinary Science I
MUC 211/211A
3b: Protein Quality Control
MUC 216
3c: Promoting Environment Education at
Spirit Mound
MUC 216A
3d: Interdisciplinary Science II
3g: “Assassins”selections
MUC Pit Lounge
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Panel Discussion: The Benefits of Conservation on Human Health: Danielle
Buttke, Betty Smith, Moses Ikiugu, Meghann Jarchow, Emily Roberson, and
Mandie Weinandt (MUC Pit Lounge)
1:00 – 1:50 pm
4a: Neurobiology II
MUC 211/211A
4b: Interdisciplinary Science III
MUC 216
4c: Fine Arts II
MUC 216A
4d: Molecular Biology
4g: Faculty Panel: Incorporating
Undergraduate Research and Creative
Scholarship into the Classroom
(MUC Pit Lounge)
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2:00 – 2:50 pm
5a: Biomaterials and Devices
MUC 211/211A
5b: Micro-Immunology II
MUC 216
5c: Ecology
MUC 216A
5d: Physical Therapy III
2:00 – 3:30 pm
Poster Session 1 and Student Participant/Faculty Sponsor Reception
(Ballroom and MUC 2nd floor balcony)
4:00 – 6:00 pm
Keynote Address by Dr. Danielle Buttke “America’s Best Idea: Taking Risks
and Reaping Rewards of Research” (MUC Ballroom)
April 14 (Thursday)
9:20 – 10:50 am
6a: Interdisciplinary III
MUC 211/211A
6b: Interdisciplinary IV
MUC 216
6c: Interdisciplinary V
MUC 216A
6d: Interdisciplinary VI
MUC CENTER FOR DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY
6g: Mock Trial
MUC Pit Lounge
11:00 – 12:30 pm
7a: Economics
MUC 211/211A
7b: Ecology and Pollution
MUC 216
7c: Chemistry
MUC 216A
7d: Interdisciplinary VII
MUC CENTER FOR DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY
7g: Study Abroad Panel
MUC Pit Lounge
12:00 – 1:00 pm
7h: Music Theatre Panel
2:00 – 3:00 pm
Poster Session 2 (MUC main floor and upstairs)
4:00 – 5:00 pm
MUC Pit Lounge
Faculty Keynote Address by Dr. Kathleen Brown-Rice: “Developing a Research
Agenda: Integrating Passion, Scholarship, Collaboration, and Integrity”, with
special guest Dr. Lee Baugh (MUC Ballroom)
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Acknowledgements:
We would like to thank the IdeaFest Committee: Musheera Anis, Brock Stoddard, Sherri Bosse, Mandie
Weinandt, Mandy Hanson, and Brittany Wagner for their work to make IdeaFest run smoothly. Kyle
Schoenfelder, Jean Brown, information technology, and facilities management for their help in
organizing and setting up the spaces used by IdeaFest. Angela Heglund and Aramark Catering staff for
helping with the IdeaFest hospitality and reception. The Office of the Provost, the College of Arts &
Sciences, the School of Education, the Center for Academic & Global Engagement, the Graduate School &
Division of Continuing & Distance Education, and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for
their collaboration on programming and support.
A special thanks to Kris Reed, the IdeaFest chair, and Samantha Lenz, graduate assistant in the Center for
Academic and Global Engagement, and the faculty, departments, and deans of USD who continue to
support student research activities.
Student Awards and Grants
*Graduate Academic and Creative Research Grant
The Graduate School awards Graduate Academic and Creative Research Grants to assist with funding of
a research or creative activity project to be conducted on an annual basis. Grants of up to $500 are
awarded to graduate students who are selected through a competitive process conducted by the
Graduate Council. Applicants are asked to fill out an application explaining their project, methods,
outcomes, and need for funding. Additionally, applicants must have a research mentor/advisor submit a
recommendation on their behalf. Award winners agree to present their progress to date at IdeaFest
annually.
Applications are judged on the following criteria:
1. The project will make a unique contribution to the field as evidenced in the description of the
purpose, objectives, research questions or artist's statement, methods, and anticipated
outcomes/impacts.
2. The student has the academic preparation and practical expertise to conduct the project.
3. The project can be completed according to the proposed timeline.
4. The budget is reasonable and other sources of funding (if any) are identified.
5. The project is of sufficient quality that the results can be presented at a regional or national
meeting or other venue, published in a peer-reviewed journal, or result in a product of
commercial value.
‡UDiscover
This program is an opportunity for undergraduate students to perform research or creative scholarship
over the summer under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Students from all disciplines are invited to
apply and, if selected, will receive funding. The 10-week program also includes workshops and lunch
meetings to fully integrate students into the world of research. Applications open in March each year.
†CURCS Mini-Grant
Student researchers and creative scholars can apply for mini-grants to support their research locally or
presentations at national conferences to showcase their work.
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2016 Keynote Speaker
IdeaFest Keynote Speaker
April 13, 4:00 pm Muenster University Center
Ballroom
“America’s Best Idea: Taking Risks and Reaping
Rewards of Research”
Danielle Buttke, DVM, PhD, MPH, DACVPM
One Health Coordinator, National Park Service
In partnership with the Office of the Provost, the College of
Arts & Sciences, the Center for Academic & Global
Engagement, the Graduate School & Division of Continuing &
Distance Education, and the Office of Research and Sponsored
Programs
Danielle Buttke is the One Health Coordinator for the National Park Service, a joint position between the
Wildlife Health Branch and Office of Public Health. One Health is the recognition that human, animal, and
environmental health are all linked, and that all species benefit when disciplines work together to promote
health and conservation. Prior to joining the National Park Service, Buttke served as an Epidemic Intelligence
Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health,
where her work responding to an Unknown Liver Disease outbreak and the oil spill earned her national
recognition as a CDC Honor, Mackel, Mitch Singal, and James Steele award recipient. Buttke earned her
Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine focusing on production animal medicine and public health and her PhD in
comparative biomedical sciences as a dual degree student at Cornell University. She earned her Masters in
Public Health from Johns Hopkins University focusing on environmental health, and her BS from the University
of South Dakota as a member of the Honors Program, Mickelson Scholar, and two-time Udall Scholar and
National Science Foundation grant recipient for her work on tallgrass prairie restoration.
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2016 Faculty Keynote Speaker
IdeaFest Keynote Speaker
April 14, 4:00 pm Muenster University Center Ballroom
“Developing a Research Agenda: Integrating Passion,
Scholarship, Collaboration, and Integrity”
Kathleen Brown-Rice, PhD, LPC, LMHP, LCAS, CAC, QMHP,
ACS, NCC
With special guest by Dr. Lee Baugh, Assistant Professor of Basic
Biomedical Sciences
In partnership with the Office of the Provost, the School of
Education, the Center for Academic & Global Engagement, the
Graduate School & Division of Continuing & Distance Education,
and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
Dr. Rice is an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education in the Counseling and Psychology in Education in the
School of Education at the University of South Dakota. She received her PhD in Counseling and Counselor
Education from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. Dr. Rice is a Licensed Professional Counselor (SD,
NE, and NC), Licensed Mental Health Provider (NE), Certified Addiction Counselor (SD), Licensed Clinical
Addiction Counselor (NC), Qualified Mental Health Professional (SD), Approved Clinical Supervisor, and
National Certified Counselor. Her research interests relate to American Indian mental health with an emphasis
on the implications of historical trauma, professional counselor supervision and training with a focus on ethical
and cross-cultural considerations, risky substance use, and understanding emotional regulation through neural
imaging. She has worked as a professional counselor in various clinical mental health settings and continues to
practice part-time.
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Detailed Schedule of Events
April 13, 2016
Presentations in oral sessions and performance sessions are 15 minutes with 5 minutes of
question and change-over.
Guide to reading the program booklet – Oral Sessions:
Session #: Session Time – Session Location
Session Title
Presenter, Project Title [Student’s Faculty/Staff Advisor: The academic area of research, as
reported by the student]
Wednesday Oral Sessions
Session 1a:
9:00 am-9:50 am
Muenster University Center 211/211A
Micro-Immunology I
Regan Roat, Identification and Characterization of miRNAs Related to Human β Cell Loss in a
Novel Humanized Mouse Model [Zhiguang Guo: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Lauren Paul Maestas, Species composition and plague prevalence in fleas from small mammals
in mixed grass prairies: Implications for the maintenance of enzootic plague [Hugh Britten:
Biology]
Nicholas Wood, Characterization of the Chlamydial Clp Protease System [Scot Ouellette: Basic
Biomedical Sciences]
Session 1b:
9:00 am-9:50 am
Muenster University Center 216
Math and Sports
Kenan Tiahrt, Non-Uniform Distribution of Monday Night Football Scores [Dan Van Peursem:
Mathematics]
Ricardo Cervantes Casiano, Analysis of Predator-Prey models with Diffusion [Jose Flores:
Mathematics]
Carrie L. Wintle, Mathematics in Cheerleading: Modeling the Back Tuck Basket Toss [Dan Van
Peursem: Mathematics]
Session 1c:
9:00 am-9:50 am
Muenster University Center 216A
Physical Therapy I
Jena Haigh, Dawn Williams, Benefits and Challenges of Student Internships: Perspectives from
Physical Therapy Clinical Partners [Joy Karges: Physical Therapy]
Spencer J. Laufmann, Tyler Sarringar, Melissa Muehler, The Effects of Neurodynamic Techniques
vs. Static Stretching on Grip Strength and Pain Pressure Threshold [Kory Zimney: Physical
Therapy]
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Kelsey Tobin, Steven Blom, The ratio of muscle strength between internal/external rotation and
flexion/extension of the shoulder measured with a Cybex isokinetic unit compared to a 10repetition maximum using a pulley system [Richard Ekstrom: Physical Therapy]
Session 1d:
9:00 am-9:50 am
Muenster University Center CDC
Cancer Biology
Mitch Patrick, “SUSD2” expression in breast cancer polarizes tumor-associated macrophages to
promote tumor immune evasion [Kristi Egland: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Jordan Sheets, “SUSD2” expression in high-grade serous ovarian cancer correlates with increased
patient survival and defective mesothelial clearance [Kristi Egland: Basic Biomedical
Sciences]
Lei Zhang, Mifepristone increases mRNA translation rate, triggers the unfolded protein response
in ovarian cancer cells [Carlos Telleria: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Session 1e:
9:00 am-9:50 am
Muenster University Center Ballroom BC
Theatre
Rebecca Jeanne Bailey, Performing the Elizabethan Humors [Chaya Gordon-Bland: Theatre]
Ryan William Fortney, "On the Verge or: The Geography of Yearning" A Ten Minute Scene
Presentation [Raimondo Genna: Theatre]
Session 2a:
10:00 am-10:50 am
Neurobiology I
Jon J. Brudvig, The MARCKS BioID Transgenic Mouse Facilitates Identification of Novel In Vivo
Partners of Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate (MARCKS) in Radial Progenitors
and Neurons of the NEX lineage [Jill Weimer: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Lauren Elizabeth Cass, Effects of hypothyroidism on D1 receptor mediated stimulation of cFos
protein expression in specific brain regions of young female hamsters [Evelyn Schlenker:
Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Ryan Geraets, Modeling and Treating Infantile and Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis
[David Pearce: M.D./Ph.D.]
Session 2b:
10:00 am-10:50 am
Physical Therapy II
Jennifer Renee Hall, Sarah Joy Moen, Alyssa Shay Pfeifle, Shelbi Leigh Hatfield, Use of the IFSP
Rating Scale in Evaluating IFSP Goals [Lana Svien: Physical Therapy]
Jenna Sieve, Marisa Blackwell, Sara Peterson-Baker, The Influence of Flexibility and Sport Choice
on Senior Athlete Injury and Fall Risk [Becca Jordre: Physical Therapy]
Jacy Brown, Britt Wickett, Clay Lovro, Normative Data for Competitive Senior Athlete Flexibility
[Becca Jordre, William Schweinle: Physical Therapy]
Session 2c:
10:00 am-10:50 am
Creating a Culture of Sustainability: Recycling at USD
Keegan Riley Johnson, Pathways of Recycling: Dual-Stream [Meghann Jarchow: Sustainability]
Ethan A. Pace, The Truth About Plastics [Meghann Jarchow: Sustainability]
Tyler Jackson, Single Stream Recycling: the viable answer for recycling in an urban community
[Meghann Jarchow: Sustainability]
Sara Packard, Sustainable Practices: A Systemic Look at Successes and Failures [Meghann
Jarchow: Sustainability]
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Carly Holmstrom, What Makes Cities Sustainable: A Case Study on Copenhagen [Meghann
Kaitlyn C. Rangel, Using Social Pressure as a Tool of Persuasion to Encourage Recycling and Other
Pro-Social Behaviors at USD [Meghann Jarchow: Sustainability]
Session 2d:
10:00 am-10:50 am
Fine Arts I
Leila Ghasempor, Children, War and Execution and Visual Language [Michael Hill, Cory Knedler
Art]
Klaire B. L. Pearson, Feminine Agency through Art and Performance [Johntimothy Pizzuto: Art]
Session 2e:
9:00 am-9:50 am
Interdisciplinary I
Muenster University Center Ballroom A
Olivia Strom, Klemens von Metternich as a Role Model to Young Henry Kissinger [Istvan
Gombocz: Modern Languages]
Rosemarie Clauson, The Refinement of One's Moral Sense Through Music in the Enlightenment
[Istvan Gombocz: Honors]
Session 2f:
10:00 am-10:50 am
Muenster University Center Ballroom BC
Interdisciplinary II
Joslynn A. Clauson, Micropolitan Development in South Dakota: the Growth and Survival of
Third-Tier Cities throughout the State [Kathryn Birkeland: Economics]
Ryan E. Los, Predicting Academic Outcome via Multiple Motivational Structures and Student
Learning Environment [Amy Schweinle: Human Development and Educational Psychology]
Lara Williams, The Absolute and Comparative Advantage of Getting a College Education in
Today's Society [Mandie Weinandt: Economics]
10:00 am: BADM 350 Legal Environment of Business Poster Session: Tyler Custis
Conrad Adam
Rachel Barclay
Brook Benes
Kale Connealy
Tyler Decker
Youssef Elnowaihy
Jessica Feldman
Kayla Henderson
Aaron Johnson
Mitchell Koehn
John Lentsch
Kenneth Mattson
Justus Moreland
Dalton Prince
Kade Rexwinkel
Matthew Runia
Stephen Bakke
Kelle Beckman
David Bruce
Mara Davidson
Zach Dickerson
Angela Farrier
Mitchell Hanson
Shania Jackan
Wesley Johnson
Taylor Ladenburger
Stacy Marlette
Sean Meyer
Michelle Muttach
Katlin Ptacek
Nicole Rindfleisch
Brittany Schermann
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Mason Schultz
Jenna Sime
Matthew Svendsen
Amy Vertullo
Nolan Welker
Bailey Wimmer
Raja Vinjamuri
Samantha Schuttinger
Cody Stansbury
Mashaya Thompson
Brennan Vote
Keaton Westover
Stanton Zaczek
Derek Wiebers
Wednesday Oral Sessions
Session 3a:
11:00 am - 11:50 am Muenster University Center 211/211A
Topics in Biomedical Science I
Laura Christine Fox, Sex Differences in Anxiety Symptoms after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury [Gina
L. Forster: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Katie Picotte, Using a transgenic mouse model to study pediatric brain cancer [Haotian Zhao:
Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Shaydel Engel, Effects of adolescent bullying on adult drug seeking behavior [Michael Watt: Basic
Session 3b:
11:00 am - 11:50 am Muenster University Center 216
Protein Quality Control
Chao Suo, The role of the COP9 signalosome in neointimal hyperplasia [Xuejun Wang: Basic
Hanming Zhang, PDE1 inhibition improves cardiac protein quality control [Xuejun Wang: Basic
Session 3c:
11:00 am - 11:50 am Muenster University Center 216A
Promoting Environment Education at Spirit Mound
Emily Roberson, Critical Place-Based Pedagogy in Rural Agricultural Communities [Meghann
Sabrina Schnack, A History of Spirit Mound in Relationship to the History of the City of Vermillion,
South Dakota [Meghann Jarchow: Sustainability]
Calvin Brink, Glacial Features in Eastern South Dakota emphasizing Spirit Mound [Meghann
Alexa Kruse, Conservation and Children: Methods for Instilling Conservation Awareness in
Elementary-Aged Children [Meghann Jarchow: Sustainability]
Cody Sack, Disappearing Prairie: Effects of Habitat Loss on Pheasant Populations [Meghann
Sydney Hancock, The Role of Pollinators in Healthy Ecosystems [Meghann Jarchow:
Sustainability]
Session 3d:
11:00 am - 11:50 am Muenster University Center CDC
Topics in Biomedical Science II
Taylor James Bosch, What changes in the brain when one learns to use a tool? [Lee Baugh: Basic
John Donald Becker, Perfluoralkylated Salophen-Based Transition Metal Complexes for Flexible
Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications [Haoran Sun: Chemistry]
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Casey Finnicum, Inter-tissue telomere length and the implications of extended sample handling
[Gareth Davies: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Session 3g:
11:00 am - 11:50 am Muenster University Center (Pit Lounge)
Assassins Selections
Cast of Assassins [Raimondo Genna: Theatre]
12:00 pm
Panel Discussion: The Benefits of Conservation on Human Health : Danielle Buttke,
Betty Smith, Moses Ikiugu, Meghann Jarchow, Emily Roberson, and Mandie Weinandt
(MUC Pit Lounge)
Session 4a:
1:00 pm-1:50 pm
Neurobiology II
Oludotun Olusegun Aadegoke, Overexpression of ubiquilin-1 alleviates spatial learning and
memory deficits in an Alzheimer's disease mouse model [Hongming Wang: Basic Biomedical
Sciences]
Neeraj Kumar Tiwari, Neurovascular Relationship in Depression [Samuel Sathyanesan: Basic
Matthew Weber, Effect of adolescent social defeat on working memory performance in early
adulthood [Michael Watt: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Session 4b:
1:00 pm-1:50 pm
Topics in Biomedical Science II
Bikash KC, Precision Grip Force Control Deficits Following Middle-Cerebral Artery (MCA) Stroke
[Lee Baugh: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Brenna Bray, Stress in the brain: examining the neurobiological mechanisms that link stress to
reward value & drug relapse [Gina Forster: Neuroscience]
Maryam Salehi, Characterization of a new lymphoid organs-specific endothelial cell subset
expressing VISTA protein [Alexei Savinov: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Session 4c:
1:00 pm-1:50 pm
Fine Arts II
Esteban Marino, Musical Instruments as Interartistic Artifacts: Two Musical Sculptures From the
Italian Renaissance [Margaret Banks: Music]
Anna Marie Sobotka, Performance Practice of Baroque Music with the Modern Violin [Eunho
Kim: Music]
Madeline Nicole Schmitt, Understanding the Humours: Analysis of "The Duchess of Malfi"
[Raimondo Genna: Theatre]
Session 4d:
1:00 pm-1:50 pm
Molecular Biology
Hongbo Gao, Beneficial effect of β2 AR agonist on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle and
underlying mechanisms [Yi-Fan Li: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Birendra KC, Association between a membrane-tethered kinase and A-type lamins at the nuclear
envelope [Kyle Roux: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Kumudu Nadeeka Rathnayake, Acquisition of desiccation tolerance in the moss Physcomitrella
patens by intrinsic mechanisms [Karen Koster: Biology]
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Session 5a:
2:00 pm-2:50 pm
Biomaterials and Devices
Menno VanDiermen, Automatic Annotation of Bioinformatics Tools using the NCBO Annotator
Service [Etienne Gnimpieba: Biomedical Engineering]
Jordan Kuiper, An Esophageal Tissue Engineering Scaffold for Esophageal Atresia in Neonates
[Ying Deng: Biomedical Engineering]
Siyu Mao, Effects of Fluorinated Monolayer Surface Modification on Conducting Substrates:
Electron Transfer Kinetics & Implication on Improving Organic Electronics Performance
[Haoran Sun: Chemistry]
Session 5b:
2:00 pm-2:50 pm
Micro-Immunology II
Christina Amatya, Investigating role of N-linked glycosylation and Ig-like domain of VTCN1
molecule [Alexei Savinov: Basic Biomedical Sciences]
Macy Olson, The Role of IncF in Chlamydial Inclusion Expansion [Lisa Rucks, Scot Ouellette: Basic
Eric Sazama, Wolbachia presence and distribution within aquatic insects of the Missouri River
and associated drainages [Jeff Wesner: Biology]
Session 5c:
2:00 pm-2:50 pm
Ecology
Jerry Warmbold, Effects of fish feeding traits on benthic and emerging insects [Jeff Wesner:
Biology]
Alexa Kruse, “Sparisoma viride” (Stoplight Parrotfish): Do Initial or Terminal Phase Fish Eat
More? [Meghann Jarchow: Biology]
Brianna Henry, Effects of selenium and pesticides on aquatic-terrestrial resource subsidies in the
Prairie Potholes [Jeff Wesner: Biology]
Session 5d:
2:00 pm-2:50 pm
Physical Therapy III
Rhianna Hoffman, Kristin Steffen, Matthew Hodgden, The Effects of Active Contraction and
Passive Stretching on Myofascial Trigger Points in the Shoulder Girdle [Kory Zimney, Richard
Ekstrom: Physical Therapy]
Chelsey Michel, Christa Wolf, Mary Okine, The effectiveness of group-based training for
protective stepping on dynamic balance in older adults: a pilot study [Lisa Inglis, Becca
Jordre: Physical Therapy]
Boni Slagerman, Renee Whetham, Mark Wilcox, Functional Ballistic Movements in Children with
a History of Ponseti Correction of Talipes Equinovarus [Patti Berg: Physical Therapy]
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Wednesday: Poster Session 1
Guide to reading the program booklet – Poster Sessions:
Poster #: Presenter, Project Title [Student’s Faculty/Staff Advisor: The academic area of
research, as reported by the student]
Poster Session 1:
2:00 - 3:30 pm Muenster University Center
1: Riley Paulsen, Connecting Increased Drug Seeking in Adulthood to Stress-Induced Disruptions
in Adolescent Cortical Dopamine Activity [Michael Watt - Basic Biomedical Sciences]
2: Casie Moody, Marsha Lynn Helgerson, Samantha Jasmine Hall, Cody Austin Wagner, Brynne
Nicole Spargur, Rural Perception on Physician-Assisted Suicide [Peter Kindle - Social Work]
3: Shelby Huber, Millennials' Online Privacy and Safety Habits [Teddi Joyce - Contemporary
Media & Journalism]
4: Morgan Mahanke, Leah Johnson, Danielle Knight, Euthanasia vs. Physician Assisted Suicide:
Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Physician Assisted Suicide [Peter Kindle - Social Work]
5: Claire Taylor Wetzel, Sam Wade Walker, Shawna Christina Koch, Kaitlyn Emma Walters,
Michael Andrew Noga, Food Assistance: Rural Perspective Towards Formal and Informal
Needs [Peter Kindle, Deb Norris, Kathy LaPlante - Social Work]
6: Logan Welker, Narcissistic traits and alcohol-related problems among college students [Raluca
Simons - Psychology]
7: Kirsten Monaghan, Abbie Gottsche, Megan Kress, Ericka Niles, Yvon Minogue, Taylar Jenks,
Effects of Social Media on Romantic Relationships in Urban vs Rural Areas [Peter Kindle Social Work]
8: Drew R. Davis, Cameron D. Siler, Jacob L. Kerby, Co-infection of “Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis” and Ranavirus in Amphibians from Northern Luzon, Philippines [Jacob Kerby
- Biology]
9: Thorn Dramstad, Solar Hydrogen Production Using Metal Free Dye-Sensitized Mesoporous
Photocatalysts [Ranjit Koodali - Chemistry]
10: Lucas Van Ermen, The Protective Role of Ubiquilin-1 in Ethanol-Induced Cytotoxicity
[Hongmin Wang - Basic Biomedical Sciences]
11: Hunter C. Rowe, Predicted Champion of 2016 NCAA March Madness Tournament [Mike
Allgrunn - Economics]
12: Kalyana Tejasvi Mondreti, Eight Factor Model Analysis of Healthcare System in India [Carole
South-Winter - Health Services Administration]
13: Austin Fritza, Practical Applications of Organic Chemistry & Nanoparticles in Everyday Dental
Products [Grigoriy Sereda - Chemistry]
14: Sarah Zaiser, Influenza and NS1 Contribution to Superinfection Susceptibility [Victor Huber Basic Biomedical Sciences]
15: Savanna Larson, Kori Junkman, Karlie Warne, Brianna Haugen, Garrett Bankston, Attitudes
Towards Transgender Rights [Peter Kindle - Social Work]
16: John Fanta, Stress Induced Modulation of Nociception by Endovanilloids [Brian Burrell - Basic
17: Geralyn Palmer, The Role of Sex Hormones on Fear Learning After a Mild Traumatic Brain
Injury [Gina Forster - Basic Biomedical Sciences]
15
18: Rachel Noonan, Mirror Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation [Amy Nelson - Health Sciences]
19: Ashley McKeown, Spanish Interpretation: My Experience as an Intern [Laura Vidler - Modern
Languages]
20: Jessica Bordeaux-Rank, Tribal Participatory Research With Community-Based Psychological
First Aid Training Of Trainers On The Rosebud: A Follow-Up Study [Randal Quevillon Clinical Psychology]
21: Audra Van Ekeren, An Emerging Decline: Fish reduce adult aquatic insect emergence from
the Missouri River by >90% [Jeff Wesner - Biology]
22: Rachel Saltness, Erin Lynn Sternhagen, Strategies for Preventing, Curing, and Restoring
Function to Patients Suffering from Decubitus Ulcers in US Long-Term Care Facilities [Katie
Bloom - Health Sciences]
23: Tamee Livermont, Biobanking and Implications for American Indian Tribes: A Review
[Sanford Research/ Summer Undergraduate Research Experience]
24: Mitchell Wagner, Construction of a Cryogenic System for the Characterization of
Photomultiplier Tubes at Cryogenic Temperatures [Jing Liu - Physics]
25: Fangfang Qiao, Overexpression of ubiquilin-1 diminishes the body weight gain in mice in a
genetic background-dependent manner [Hongmin Wang - Basic Biomedical Sciences]
26: Amy Nicole Weichler, Occupational Therapy: Collaboration of School-Based and Outpatient
Services in Pediatrics [Amy Nelson - Health Sciences]
27: Kelsey Brand, Katie Anderson, Collette Bowman, Josh Hayes, Harrison Smith, Survey of
Attitudes and Behavior Towards Vaping at the University of South Dakota [Cindy
Struckman-Johnson - Psychology]
28: Elena Tsakakis, Understanding of Hand Sanitizers, Parabens and Azo Dyes: A Survey of
Students' Knowledge Based in Scientific Research [Meghann Jarchow - Sustainability]
29: Brandon Lee Gray, Centrality of Traumatic Experiences and Maladaptive Personality
Development [Sara Lowmaster - Psychology]
30: Sara Lund, Options for Non-Pharmaceutical Treatment of ADHD [Musheera Anis - Health
Sciences]
31: Kayla R. Nalan-Sheffield, Haley N. Schwenk, Interpersonal Style and the Narration of Life
Events [Sara Lowmaster - Psychology]
32: Lisa Baer, Say What? Say When? Examining Rates of Positive Reinforcement in Romantic
Relationships [Randy Quevillon - Psychology]
33: Byron Pillow, Expanding the Records of Holton Trombone Production: Primary Research with
Holton Factory Personnel [Deborah Reeves - National Music Museum]
34: Michael Buchanan, Monoaminergic Responses to Acute Stress Exposure in Sexually
Dimorphic Species: Stalk-Eyed Fly, Teleopsis dalmanni [Kenneth Renner - Biology]
35: Rebecca Sistad, The Role of Distress Tolerance in the Relationship between Cognitive
Schemas and Alcohol Use and Problems among College Students [Raluca Simons Psychology]
36: Jordan Anderson, Effect of Surface Texture on Macrophage Behavior to Biomaterials
[Gopinath Mani - Biomedical Engineering]
37: Eric Gregory, John Roberts, Andrew Wayne Beck, Ellie Jo Mausbach, Management and Use
of Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems [Jan Berkhout - Psychology]
38: Heather A. Bleecker, Becoming a Mathematics Mentor in the Middle School: A Case Study
[Kristine Reed - Curriculum & Instruction]
39: Patricia Dombrowski, Living with a roommate that can eat you: the predator-prey
relationship between the endangered Hine's emerald dragonfly and the devil crayfish
[Daniel Soluk - Biology]
16
40: Amelia Rae Heiden, Epilepsy Awareness in Higher Education [Beth Boyd - Psychology]
41: Pasan Fernando, Investigating the genomic basis of phenotypic transitions using a novel
integrative analysis of anatomy ontology and Protein-Protein interaction networks [Erliang
Zeng - Biology]
42: Jill M. Morris, Christine Tirabassi, Megan Ellison, An Evaluation of The Women's Program: A
Longitudinal Study with Sorority Women [Jerry Jacobs - Psychology]
43: Elizabeth Schley, Emily Dykstra, Haoyu Lin, Sara Ellington, Sam Heibult, Anthony Zeliadt,
Samantha Riley, Preschool Motivation [Amy Schweinle - Counseling & Psychology in
Education]
44: Filip Radev, CMA-targeting peptide technology as a novel therapeutic approach to combat
disease-causing mutant proteins [Scott Pattison - Basic Biomedical Sciences]
45: Jessica Kathryn Soleta, Suicide Prevention In Mood Disorders In Comparison Between
America Verses Japan [Musheera Anis - Health Sciences]
46: Mary Hartnett, The Effect of Exercise and Stress Reduction Activities on Grade Point Average
[Strouse - Educational Administration]
47: Michael J Bosch, Threshold behavior of Wolbachia spread in insect populations [Jeff Wesner Biology]
48: Kennidy Asche, Lillian Kallestad, Jose Ramon Dominguez, Racial Perception and Social
Judgment of Faces [XT Wang - Psychology]
49: Molly Boell, Macular Degeneration and Cognitive Impairment [Amy Nelson - PreOccupational Therapy Club]
50: Leah A. Johnson, Danielle L. Knight, Morgan Mahanke, Euthanasia vs. Physician Assisted
Suicide [Peter Kindle - Social Work]
51: Megan E. McCarthy, Kelsey Jade Schenk, Chris Jackson, Trevor Stacey, Raleigh Jungemann,
Benchmarking Poster [Carole South-Winter - Health Services Administration]
52: Jonathan Mark Susemihl, Drawing from the Past to Sustain the Future: Using Heirloom Maize
Varieties to Create a More Sustainable Agricultural System [Matthew Sayre - Anthropology]
53: Noel L Bjerken, Human Trafficking In America Versus Canada [Laurie Lind - Health Sciences]
54: Jessica Speiser, An assessment of the amphibian community composition and prevalence of a
pathogenic fungus at Spirit Mound [Jacob Kerby - Biology]
55: Emily Roberson, Seed Libraries and Food Insecurity: An Emerging Solution to an Enduring
Problem [Meghann Jarchow - Sustainability]
56: Gretchen N. Newberry, Common Nighthawk (“Chordeiles minor”) nesting ecology in an
agriculturally dominated landscape and susceptibility to land-use change [David L. Swanson
- Biology]
57: Katie Loutsch, Rachel Johannsen, Kori Junkman, Kennidy Ashe, Jamie Anderson, Jared Waltz,
Michaela Feldmann, Raven Blahnik, Rebecca Sistad, Samantha Lenz, AWOL New Orleans:
Winter Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global Engagement]
58: Rebecca Froehlich, The Impact of Arts Engagement on the Behavioral and Psychological
Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) [Shane Semmler - Art]
59: Brooke Doty, Curtis Plueger, Spencer Mathers, Kjerstin Williams, Allie Lindquist, Brianna
Haugen, Taylor Hyde, Shelbi Holtkamp, Elizabeth Pearson, Ashley Edge, AWOL Guatemala:
Winter Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global Engagement]
60: Jacob Munger, Josie Flatgard, Allison Reuland, Hayley Stahl, Kassie VanWyk, Kevin Nam,
Hunter Burns, David Saldana-Rico, AWOL Indianapolis: Winter Break 2016 [Center for
Academic and Global Engagement]
17
61 Katie Barnett, Sheldon Moysis, Rachelle Moore, Mei Kwan Chan, Matthew Rohner, Kayla
DeJong, Zachary Dockter, Jenna Neugebauer, Chesney Arend, Stephen Gemar, AWOL
Orlando: Winter Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global Engagement]
62: Mackenzie Huber, Kirsty Longley, Tanner Redlin, Payton Allen, Hailee Eisenbeisz, Sierra
McConnell, Nathaniel Steinlicht, Rachel Blanchard, Kaitlin Slagle, Kindra Slagle, AWOL
Springfield: Winter Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global Engagement]
63: Geralyn Palmer, Clay Lippert, Alisha Satterlee, Aubrey Wald, Chontaya Justice, Leah Jesertiz,
Hannah Winther, Emmy Smith, Aaron Licht, Sarah Pearson, AWOL East St. Louis: Winter
Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global Engagement]
64: Rachel Johannsen, Historic and Current Expected Distributions of Amphibian and Reptile
Species in South Dakota [Jacob Kerby – Biology]
IDEAFEST RECEPTION AND KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Muenster University Center Ballroom
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Reception (complimentary for IdeaFest student participants & sponsoring
faculty)
4:00 pm Keynote address by Dr. Danielle Buttke, “America’s Best Idea: Taking Risks and Reaping
Rewards of Research”; open to the public
18
April 14, 2016
Presentations in oral sessions and performance sessions are 15 minutes with 5 minutes of
question and change-over.
Thursday Oral Sessions
Guide to reading the program booklet – Oral Sessions:
Session Title
Presenter, Project Title [Student’s Faculty/Staff Advisor: The academic area of research,
as reported by the student]
Session 6a:
9:20 am-10:50 am
Interdisciplinary III
Matthew Schlimgen, Armed, Reloaded, and Unquantified: Disproportionate deaths during police
encounters? [Dave Lane: Sociology]
Rachel Schmidt, Criminal Careers: Learning the Criminal Identity [David Lane: Sociology]
Lillian Kallestad, Effects of Circadian Rhythms and Metabolic Condition on Intertemporal and
Risky Choice [XT Wang: Psychology]
Logan Tyler Hale, En Equals One: A Dynamic Snapshot of the Artist as a Young Man [Jan
Berkhout: Psychology]
Cody A. Reed, Does Growing Income and Wealth Inequality Mean Growing Health Inequality
Too? [Katie Bloom, Jack Niemonen: Sociology]
Session 6b:
9:20 am-10:50 am
Interdisciplinary IV
Jose Martin Munoz, Peru and Colombia: Political Violence and Prospects of Democracy [Eric
Jepsen: Political Science]
Kerstin Tuttle, Value Judgments and Gender: Why One Direction Is Not Taken Seriously [Sara
Lampert: Women & Gender Studies]
Eric M. Schlimgen, The Implementation of a Food Recovery Program at the University of South
Dakota. [Matthew Fairholm: J.D. and M.P.A.]
Jeremy Fajman, Woodrow Wilson's Western Tour: A Failure to Communicate [Steven Bucklin:
History]
Jacob K. Naasz, Potential Impact of Victim-Jury Relatability in the Application of the Death
Penalty [Elizabeth Smith: Political Science]
Session 6c:
9:20 am-10:50 am
Interdisciplinary V
Lavin Entwisle, Demographic Variables that May Predict the Incidence of eSRT [Jessica
Messersmith: Communication Sciences & Disorders]
Rachelle Moore, Lean in Healthcare [Dan Tracy: Business Administration]
Layani Makwinja, Contextual Predictor's of Children's Subjective Well-being in Botswana [Lisa
Newland: Counseling & Psychology in Education]
19
Annie Peasley, Improved patient-provider communication for children with ASD: Visual
schedules and video models [Liz Hanson: Communication Sciences & Disorders]
Koty Kristyne Matthiesen, Kasie Chanel Mays, Freedom as a Core Component of Child Well-Being
[Lisa Newland: Counseling & Psychology in Education]
Session 6d:
9:20 am-10:50 am
Muenster University Center Center for Diversity & Community
Interdisciplinary VI
Chelsea Campbell, Culture of the Common Man: Shakespeare in Nineteenth-Century South
Dakotan Newspapers [Darlene Farabee: English]
Stephanie M. Laska, Hemingway's Obstetric Doctors and Their Methods: The Cases of Medical
Negligence Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms and "Indian Camp" [Heather Love:
English]
Sadie Swier, Oedipus's Identity Crisis: An Analysis Using the Johari Window Model [Melanie
Wood: English]
Russell Shaffer, Treehouse Soldiers: A World War II Historical Novel Informed by Al McIntosh's
Newspaper Accounts [Natanya Pulley: English]
Hannah Marie Nagy, Mediating the Paradox of a Timeless Myth: Death, Art, and Love Confront
Orpheus [Clayton Lehmann: History]
Session 6g:
10:00 am-10:50 am
Muenster University Center Pit Lounge
Mock Trial
Ethan T. Adams, Austin B. Filips, Hannah R. Fullenkamp, Jessica M. Allen, Chad D. Wieczorek
Mock Trial [Sandy McKeown: Criminal Justice]
Session 7a:
11:00 pm-12:30 pm
Economics
William J. Belch, Jr., The Gambler's Fallacy: Individual Investment Behavior [Brock Stoddard:
Economics]
Vonda Cotton, The relationship between commodity farm prices and consumer spending [Mike
Allgrunn: Economics]
Elizabeth Jo Dailey, The Effect of Income on National Park Visitation [Kathryn Birkeland:
Economics]
Karan Patel, Predicting Hotel Occupancy [Mike Allgrunn: Economics]
Session 7b:
11:00 pm-12:30 pm
Ecology and Pollution
Joseph Madison, Transcriptomic Profiling of “Serratia marcescens” in Response to the Amphibian
Fungal Pathogen “Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis” [Jacob Kerby: Biology]
Kristopher Pitcher, A tale of fire and flood: investigating the long term recovery of the aquatic
insect community in montane desert streams after catastrophic disturbances [Daniel Soluk:
Biology]
Sunav Shrestha, Implication of particle size of titania on degradation of rhodamine B over TiO2Al2O3 mixed oxide materials [Ranjit T. Koodali: Chemistry]
Kaitlyn Nicole Stern, Adsorption of Cationic, Anionic, and Hybrid Dyes onto Different Silica
Materials [Ranjit T. Koodali: Chemistry]
Dustin Valind, Opioid Addiction in the United States [Laurie Lind: Health Sciences]
20
Session 7c:
11:00 pm-12:30 pm
Chemistry
Brandon Jay Karels, Khaled Rashwan, Austin Fritza, Applications of Excipient Dentifrice Materials
for Biomimetic Remineralization and Desensitization of Teeth [Grigoriy Sereda: Chemistry]
Joseph Keppen, A novel method of characterizing reactive amines in carbonaceous materials
[Grigoriy Sereda: Chemistry]
Khaled Rashwan, Material Functionalization for Life Science Application: Industrial, Applied,
Pure, Educational & Computational Chemistry [Grigoriy Sereda: Chemistry]
Sem Raj Tamang, sp2 C-H activation and C-C coupling catalyzed by Cu(I) complex with the
ambiphilic ligand 8 –quinolyldimesitylborane [James D. Hoefelmeyer: Chemistry]
Session 7d:
11:00 pm-12:30 pm
Muenster University Center Center for Diversity & Community
Interdiscipinary VII
Katelyn Marie Troastle, Cassy Jerrett, How to Get Away With Rape [Criminal Justice]
Eva L. Soluk, The impact of functional group and haying on plant community composition and
aboveground biomass production [Meghann Jarchow: Biology]
Jillian K. Farkas, The Effect of Agricultural Runoff on Fish in the Prairie Pothole Region [Jacob
Kerby: Biology]
Cassy Jerrett, Katelyn Marie Troastle, Analysis of Rape Culture in Social Media and Television
[Criminal Justice]
Dustin Santjer, Top-Down Investing: Improving Asset Allocation in Stock Portfolios [Yewmun Yip:
Finance]
Session 7g:
11:00 pm-11:50pm
Study Abroad Panel
Rachel Nurse, Mackenzie Huber, Ashley McKeown, Emily Pauli [Dana Elliott: Center for
Session 7h:
12:00 pm-1:00pm
Music Theatre Panel
Kristian Asfeldt, Brianna Adams, Walker Iversen, John King, Kelsey Mitteness, Nick Manthe,
Jackie Webb, Nathanial Vogel, New York Senior Industry Showcase [Matthew Nesmith:
Theatre]
12:30 -1:30 pm BADM 350 Legal Environment of Business Poster Session: Greg Huckabee (MUC Main
floor)
Hussan Almekhlafi
Evan Bergeson
Shelby Burgess
Grant Campbell
Lane Culey
Nathan Ellinger
Cameron Frentress
Ryan Glazier
Cole Hager
Clark Haugen
Michael Henrickson
Hanna Henson
Ryan Hepper
William Hins
Theron Hotchkiss
Elijah Houchens
Thomas Kenny
Kyle Koemer
Bryce Krieger
Brett McAdaragh
Matthew Mickley
Evan Murtha
21
Nicholas Niehus
Jalatama Omar
Brett Page
Dana Peterson
Logan Remmers
Eric Robertson
Jackson Schuver
Kaitlyn Severyn
Spencer Strait
Alec Wegner
Christina Wheeler
Connor Stephens
Yunda Zhang
Christian Nielsen
Travis Onken
Miranda Panzer
Austin Pharis
Eli Ripley
Cole Shleusner
Cody Seal
Kristen Steffen
Shelby Sunken
Kallan Westergaard
Tyler Johnson
Luke Worden
Thursday: Poster Session 2
Guide to reading the program booklet – Poster Sessions:
Poster #: Presenter, Project Title [Student’s Faculty/Staff Advisor: The academic area of
research, as reported by the student]
Poster Session 2:
2:00 - 3:30 pm Muenster University Center
1: Joseph Solomon Mammo, Automatic Cross-Platform Temperature Monitoring System for
Scintillation and Germanium Detectors [Jing Liu - Physics]
2: Rebekah McLaughlin, The History of Medieval and Renaissance Horns [David Moskowitz Music]
3: Robyn Dattilo, Alyssa Slusser, Gender Differences of Social Anxiety among College Students
[Gabrielle Strouse- Counseling and Psychology in Education]
4: Cylie Hanson, An Examination of Predictors of Prejudice against Transgender Individuals [Jae
Puckett - Psychology]
5: Kristen Stanislav, Christopher McDonald, Perceptions of Children from Different Family
Configurations [Gabriel Strouse - School of Education]
6: Emma Mulhall, Renae Goldinn John, Me, Myself(ie), and I: A Study Exploring the Intersection
of Age and Education Level with Social Media Usage. [Gabrielle Strousse - Education]
7: Alex Kumar Verma, Green Tea Polyphenol EGCG Inhibits Extracellular Lactate Production and
Cancer Cell Proliferation [Keith Miskimins - Basic Biomedical Sciences]
8: Epiphany Knedler, Architecture : Interior and Exterior [John Banasiak - Art]
9: Miyuraj Harishchandra HIkkaduwa Withanage, Identifying of bacterial communities influenced
by isoflavonoids in the soybean rhizosphere using a metagenomics analysis [Erliang Zeng Biology]
22
10: Abby Pillar, Wes Johnson, Lane Culey, Haley Jorgensen, Matt Koch, Surgical Site Infections
[Carole South-Winter - Health Services Administration]
11: Tyler Meints, Gender Representations in Sports Advertising: A Content Analysis of Super Bowl
Advertisements from 2010-2015 [Shane Semmler - Communication Studies]
12: Lauren Henning, Effect of an invasive plant across ecosystems: From land to water and back
[Jeff Wesner - Biology]
13: Nathan Bedoya, The Resurgence of Virtual Reality and its Potential Implications for Pedagogy
and Research [Meghann Jarchow - Sustainability]
14: Jeffrey J Beck, Design and preliminary application of a customized genotyping array for
imputation-based genome wide association studies: the Axiom-NL array [Gareth Davies Basic Biomedical Sciences]
15: Madhubabu Alaparthi, A New Detection Mechanism involving Keto-Enol Tautomerization:
Selective Fluorescence Detection of Al(III) by Dehydration of Secondary Alcohols in Mixed
DMSO/Aqueous Media [Andrew G.Sykes - Chemistry]
16: Aaron Caleb Packard, Palladium and the Analog Experience [John Banasiak - Art]
17: Thayme Watson, The South Dakota Constitutional Revision Commission, 1969-1975 [Donald
Dahlin - Political Science]
18: Briana Nelson Kraayenbrink, Aesthetics and Usability [Doug Peterson - Psychology]
19: Dana L. Vandenberg, The Problem with Sitting: A Public Health Issue Regarding Sedentary
Behavior in College Students [Katie Bloom - Health Sciences]
20: Jack Sternburg, Influencing Anxiety by Altering Serotonin in the Amygdala [Gina Forster Basic Biomedical Sciences]
21: Majdi Almalki, The Effect of Flipped Classroom on Undergraduate Success and Achievement
[Gabrielle Strouse – Counseling and Psychology in Education]
22: Elena Nancy Alonso, HIV/AIDS in the United Kingdom and United States [Musheera Anis Health Sciences]
23: Aimee Wieczorek, Level of Happiness Throughout College [Doug Peterson - Psychology]
24: Yangxi Liu, Erythropoietin Immobilized Nano-fibrous Scaffold for Tissue Regeneration [Hongli
Sun - Biomedical Engineering]
25: Rebecca Buechler, Immune to Health: Antimicrobial Resistance in the United States [Katie
Bloom - Medical Biology]
26: David Bruce, Self-interest and its effects on society's well-being [Mandie Weinandt Economics]
27: Andrea Rae Fothergill, Pertussis: A Public Health Presentation [Musheera Anis - Health
Sciences]
28: Katelyn Marie Troastle, Rape Culture and the Millennial Generation [Cindy StruckmanJohnson - Psychology]
29: Haley N. Schwenk, Kelsey E. Hennig, Taylor A. Gustafson, Shanel M. Goranowski, Hayden M.
Anderson, Gender Differences in Theory of Mind [Sara Lowmaster - Psychology]
30: Abbey Smith, Kaitlin Senn, The Effects of Exercise on Stress in College Students [Gabrielle
Strouse - Counseling & Psychology in Education]
31: Kayla Wyffels, Consumer Response to Anthropomorphic Brand Mascots [William Jones Marketing]
32: Aaron Fleischer, Lauren Maestas, Tularemia: Active surveillance of ticks from small mammals
in Lower Brule, South Dakota [Hugh Britten - Biology]
33: Jacob K. Naasz, Rural Economic Development: A Case Study from Winner, South Dakota
[Political Science]
23
34: Tyler John Micheel, Immersive audio to carry audiences to different worlds. [Daniel Huston Theatre]
35: Jennifer Lea Calvert, Reasoning Behind LGBTQ Methamphetamine Use [John Korkow Addiction Studies]
36: Courtney Buchholz, Samra Eiler, Dominic Jankowski, Darrion Jones, Lisa Patterson,
Healthcare Waste Management Dashboard [Carole South-Winter - Health Services
Administration]
37: Joslynn A. Clauson, A Statistical Analysis of Religion Participation and Personal Happiness
[Mike Allgrunn- Economics]
38: Patrick Wilson, SSB (Sugar-Sweetened Beverages) Excise Tax: Reforming American Health
[Silvana Rosenfeld - Interdisciplinary Science]
39: Julia Gorham, “Les Misérables”: An Analysis of the Historical and Religious Effects on a
Literary Mirror into a Troubled Society [Kris Knisely - Modern Languages]
40: Megan T. Lewno, Brand Loyalty and Advertisement Effectiveness [Doug Peterson Psychology]
41: Nicole Bottjen, Nicolas Steilen, College Involvement: What's It To You? [Gabrielle Strouse Educational Administration]
42: Elise Hocking, The role of negative urgency in the relationship between borderline traits and
alcohol problems [Raluca Simons - Clinical Psychology]
43: Lillian Mary Kallestad, Facebook Use by College Students [Michael Granaas - Psychology]
44: Liz Runia, Sydney Fleming, #Extrovert: Is extroversion a predictor of social media usage?
[Gabrielle Strouse - Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education]
45: Megan Alexandra Bartels, PhotoVoice [Kimberly Grieve -Student Services]
46: Jordan Kramer, Design and synthesis of two-dimensional Schiff base perfluoroalkylated
aromatic polymers with potential organic electronic applications [Haoran Sun - Chemistry]
47: Eric Sandhurst, Development of Innovative Biomimetic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering
Using the Corn Protein, Zein [Hongli Sun - Biomedical Engineering]
48: Matthew Richard Schlimgen, Matthew Rohner, Effects of Acceptance of Casual Sex and Trait
Narcissism on Men's Perceptions of a Woman's Image Varied by the Presence or Absence of
Alcoholic Drinks [Cindy Struckman-Johnson - Psychology]
49: Jacob Miszuk, Heparin/Dopamine Coated Electrospun Nanofibrous 3D Scaffolds for Bone
Tissue Engineering [Hongli Sun - Biomedical Engineering]
50: Emily Dykstra, Understanding the impact of personal factors, learning environment, and
culture on student success: A study of international and American students [Amy Schweinle
- Counseling and Educational in Psychology]
51: Paige Oboikovitz, The Impact of Habitat Choice on Summit Metabolic Rate in House Sparrows
(Passer domesticus) and Horned Larks (Eremophila alpestris) [David Swanson - Biology]
52: Kirsten Monaghan, Ericka Niles, Megan Kress, Abbie Gottsche, Yvon Minoque, Taylar Jenks,
Effects of Social Media on Romantic Relationships in Urban vs Rural Areas [Peter Kindle Social Work]
53: Nicole Koskovich, Postural control management in children with idiopathic toe walking
behaviors [Patti Berg-Poppe - Physical Therapy]
54: Andrew Koch, Lauren Fanta, John Fanta, Jacob Haiar, Ceara Harris, Allie Logan, Jessie Sadlon,
Kevin Nam, AWOL Pine Ridge: Spring Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global
Engagement]
55: Emily Roberson, Shane Hansen, Alex Montoya, Brock Peterson, Hannah Sheffield, Emma
Kays, Laura Wolf, Josie Flatgard, Noah Kottke, AWOL Moab: Spring Break 2016 [Center for
24
56: Emily Pauli, Jenny Welu, Kali Teasley, Austin Frtiza, Jessica Tisher, Sadie Schoenfelder,
Rosemarie Clauson, Kassie VanWyk, AWOL Sauk Centre: Spring Break 2016 [Center for
57: Kennidy Asche, Logan Bullard, Sidney Heisler, Clay Lippert, Abby Yeska, Hannah Heisinger,
Megan Feller, Taya Vacanti, Samantha Lenz, Annalissa Miller, AWOL Baltimore: Spring
Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global Engagement]
58: Hayley Stahl, Shamly Mackey, Luke Smith, Jeff Chang, Autumn Eirinberg, Brittany Thompson,
Melissa Eberts, AWOL Rosebud: Spring Break 2016 [Center for Academic and Global
Engagement]
59: Sage Kipfer, Allison Kellen, Shane Hansen, Jenna Mammenga, Jeff Chang, Miranda Ebach,
Brock Peterson, Delmi Cuellar, Kelsey Kirby, AWOL Dallas: Winter Break 2016 [Center for
60: Alexa Gerlach, An Analysis of PTSD Care and Treatment in Combat Veterans [Laurie Lind Health Sciences]
61: Emily Riedemann, Personality and Experiences in Close Relationships [Michael Granaas Psychology]
62: Brittany Lewno, Characteristics as Predictors of Academic Achievement [Daniel Hajovsky Counseling & Psychology in Education]
63: Andrew D. Koch, Effects of an aggressive encounter on monoamines in the mantis shrimp
brain [Kenneth Renner - Biology]
64: Erin Lynn Rasmussen, A Qualitative Examination of Internalized Heterosexism in Sexual
Minorities [Jae Puckett – Psychology]
65: Jason Kitto, The effects of exercise on sleep habits in college athletes [Gabrielle Strouse:
Counseling and Psychology in Education]
66: Katherine Ann Bice, Cara Ann Koch, Molly Annmarie Spilger, Reducing Discriminations
Toward the Transgender Community through Exposure [Peter Kindle: Social Work]
67: April Legatt, The Euphonium and Baritone Conflict [Deborah Reeves: National Music
Museum]
IDEAFEST RECEPTION AND KEYNOTE ADDRESS
Muenster University Center Ballroom
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm Reception (complimentary for IdeaFest student participants & sponsoring faculty)
4:00 pm Keynote address by Dr. Kathleen Brown-Rice, “Developing a Research Agenda: Integrating
Passion, Scholarship, Collaboration, and Integrity”; open to the public
25
Abstracts of Student Presentations
*Graduate Research Award Winners
†CURCS Undergraduate Research Award Winners
‡U. Discover Participants
Guide to reading the program booklet – Abstracts:
Project Title
Presenter Name
The academic area of research as reported by the student
Faculty/Staff Sponsor Name
Wednesday, April 13th
Session 1a: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center 211/211A
Identification and Characterization of miRNAs Related to Human β Cell Loss in a Novel Humanized Mouse
Model
Regan Roat
Basic Biomedical Sciences
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Zhiguang Guo
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of the insulin-producing pancreatic β cells.
Detection of β cell death prior to the development of hyperglycemia would allow for earlier therapeutic
intervention, but ethical and technical constraints limit our ability to directly identify markers of early β cell loss
in humans. In this study, we validated an original approach for inducing human β cell destruction in vivo using
adoptive lymphocyte transfer (ALT), and identified novel miRNAs associated with early β cell death and present in
the circulation prior to the development of hyperglycemia. Diabetic immunodeficient NOD.scid mice were
transplanted with human islets and subsequently achieved stable normoglycemia. Lymphocytes from diabetic
NOD mice were then adoptively transferred to the humanized mice to induce human β cell destruction. Human
islet grafts of ALT-treated mice had peri-graft lymphocyte infiltration, fewer insulin+ β cells, and a higher
percentage of TUNEL+ β cells compared to control mice. Islet-enriched microRNA-375 was significantly decreased
in the grafts and increased in the circulation of ALT-treated mice compared to control mice, and this increase
precedes the development of hyperglycemia. Furthermore, highly expressed miR-4454 and miR-199a-5p in human
islet grafts were decreased after ALT and were increased in the circulation prior to the development of
hyperglycemia. Our data demonstrates that our model of ALT-induced human β cell death in mice transplanted
with human islets is a robust method for identifying novel circulating miRNAs associated with early human β cell
loss such as miR-4454 and miR-199a-5p. This model can be used to identify and characterize other biomarkers of
early human β cell death before the onset of type 1 diabetes.
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Species composition and plague prevalence in fleas from small mammals in mixed grass prairies: Implications
for the maintenance of enzootic plague
Lauren Paul Maestas
Biology
Maintenance of sylvatic plague (Yersinia pestis) has been hypothesized to be inefficient due to high mortality
rates, yet more recent findings indicate that low level enzootic plague may be maintained in susceptible prairie
dog populations. An alternative theory to prairie dogs involves small mammals as an alternative reservoir and a
"sea of plague approach". Pertinent to this "sea of plague" idea is the concept of a bridging vector allowing for the
transmission of a pathogen from one system to another. This would require overlap in fleas between small
mammals and prairie dogs, or other animals and may challenge the notion of host specificity. This study compares
the short grass ecosystem with that of mixed grass prairie, with regard to flea and mammal compositions and
plague prevalence between hosts and vectors. Preliminary results show large differences between both the flea
and mammal composition of the two systems and overall diversity. Moreover this study demonstrates that
although small mammals may not play a large part in interepizootic plague cycling in shortgrass prairie ecosystems
their role in mixed-grass prairies may be quite different from their shortgrass counterparts. Prevalence rates of
Y.pestis among fleas and hosts, as well as potential overlap between fleas and hosts and overall implications for
the involvement of small mammals in enzootic plague in mixed grass prairies will be discussed.
Characterization of the Chlamydial Clp Protease System
Nicholas Wood†
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Scot Ouellette
Chlamydia trachomatis, a proteomically unique bacterium, will be the focus of this research. This bacterium
differentiates between two very distinct stages in its developmental cycle: elementary bodies and reticulate
bodies. Elementary bodies, also referred to as EBs, are small infectious units with extremely low metabolic activity.
When an EB enters the cell, it remains within a membrane-bound vesicle called an inclusion. Since Chlamydia
grows inside the cell in this fashion, it has an obligate intracellular life cycle. Once inside the inclusion membrane
in the cell, the EB differentiates into the reticulate body, or RB, which is the larger form of Chlamydia. After
differentiation from an EB, RBs are responsible for reproduction after the inclusion has formed. When enough RBs
have been produced, Chlamydia will revert back into EBs and then lyse the cell, releasing the EBs to infect
surrounding cells. In differentiating between EBs and RBs, Chlamydia must change the repertoire of proteins it
expresses. The Clp protease system is used to degrade proteins within bacteria, and Chlamydia encodes homologs
of this system. We hypothesize that the Clp Protease system is essential to the developmental regulation of
Chlamydia by specifically degrading proteins of one developmental form or the other. While most bacteria have
one ClpP Protease, Chlamydia has two. Bacteria also encode ClpX, ClpC, ClpA, or a combination of the three. Each
of these proteins is an adaptor that recognizes different proteins to be degraded. Chlamydia has the ClpX and
ClpC homologs, which gives the possibility of different interactions among these proteases. We will investigate
the importance of ClpP1 and ClpP2 to the bacterium, interactions between the two ClpP systems as well as
between ClpX and ClpC, and targets of the ClpP systems of Chlamydia.
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Session 1b: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center 216
Non-Uniform Distribution of Monday Night Football Scores
Kenan Tiahrt
Mathematics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dan Van Peursem
This presentation looks at the balancing of a game where a victor is decided based on the last digit of final scores
in Monday Night Football games. Given a hundred players, each player is randomly assigned one winning last digit
combination out of one hundred combinations. A combination consists of the last digit of the home team's final
score followed by the last digit of the visiting team's final score. The fundamental issue with this game is that
certain scores in football occur more often than others, creating an unbalanced game due to a non-uniform
distribution of winning percentages. Within the presentation, the non-uniform distribution present within this
game will be explored. Various methods used to try and achieve a balance will also be examined. What these
methods are, the mathematics behind them, and the reasons why certain methods were either effective or
ineffective will be explained.
Analysis of Predator-Prey models with Diffusion
Ricardo Cervantes Casiano
Mathematics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jose Flores
The study of how and why population numbers change in time and space, or equivalently, population dynamics
have puzzled humanity from prehistoric times. As ecological systems are characterized by the interaction between
species and their surroundings, one of the fundamental goal is to be able to understand how the interaction of
individual organism with each other and with the environment can influence population interaction and the
composition of communities over a wide range of spatial and temporal domains. An important type of interaction
which effects population dynamics of all species is predation. One of the reasons why predation is important is
that no organism can live, grow, and reproduce without consuming resource. Thus, predator-prey models have
been in the focus of ecological science since the early days of this discipline and it continues to draw interest from
both applied mathematicians and ecologist as they exhibit a wide range of interesting dynamical behaviors such
as steady states, oscillations and chaos. Temporal models allow us to describe population densities in the same
homogeneous environment. In reality, individuals organisms are distributed in space and typically interact with
the physical environment and other organisms is their spatial neighborhood. One of the major reasons to develop
models with spatial effects is that many species are threatened or endangered by the destruction or fragmentation
of their habitats. Space can affect the dynamics of populations and the structure of communities and one way to
understand how spatial effects influence populations and communities is by using mathematical models and there
are many ways space can be implemented in spatio-temporal models.
Mathematics in Cheerleading: Modeling the Back Tuck Basket Toss
Carrie L Wintle‡
Mathematics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dan Van Peursem
We provide a mathematical model for one of the most complex cheerleading stunts, the back tuck basket toss.
The mathematical model analyzes a two-link figure with a joint at the hips. Each link has a specified length,
coupled with an individual mass. The model assumes that the mass of each link is centrally located as a single
point and that the head and feet remain stationary. The entire figure will rotate about a center of mass. Maple
was utilized to do the calculations and visualize the mathematical model, depicting the movement through time.
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Future work will be to expand the figure into more links and joints that would resemble a more realistic human
body.
Session 1c: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center 216A
Benefits and Challenges of Student Internships: Perspectives from Physical Therapy Clinical Partners
Jena Haigh, Dawn Williams
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Joy Karges
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the benefits and challenges of providing clinical education
experiences from the perspective of CIs and managers/administrators. Methods: The research design was a
non-experimental, web-based survey. Subjects were selected from a nonrandom perpetuated sample of
convenience from a list of approved clinical sites associated with a local Midwestern university. The survey
contained 6-point Likert Scale questions regarding the perceived intrinsic and extrinsic benefits and challenges
associated with student internships (1 = strongly disagree to 6 = strongly agree), and additional demographic
questions. The survey was designed for interprofessional use for PT, OT, PA, Addictions, Dental Hygiene, Health
Sciences, Medical Lab Science, Nursing programs. Results: Of the 583 subjects invited from the PT program to
participate, 174 surveys were returned and 146 (25.0%) were included in the analysis. The majority of the
participants were female (92, 63%) with an average age of 41.2 years (+10.2), 15.7 years (+9.5) clinical experience,
and 12.4 years (+8.9) working with students. The primary practice setting most commonly reported were
"outpatient clinic" (81, 55.5%). Participant's roles included CIs only (99, 67.8%), clinical education managers (13,
8.9%), clinical managers/administrators (7, 4.8%) and CIs/clinical managers (22, 15.1%). Results of a 1-way ANOVA
indicated no significant differences in self-reported intrinsic and extrinsic benefits and challenges based on role.
Discussion and Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest that CIs and clinic managers have similar perspectives and
opinions on the benefits and challenges of student internships, with no significant between-group differences
determined. Findings are in line with previous research on CIs, but there had been little past research conducted
on clinic managers. Results from the current study indicated that the CIs and clinic managers have a relatively
positive view of student internships and provide a supportive environment for students.
The Effects of Neurodynamic Techniques vs. Static Stretching on Grip Strength and Pain Pressure Threshold
Spencer J. Laufmann, Tyler Sarringar, Melissa Muehler
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kory Zimney
Study Design: Prospective and experimental randomized controlled trial. Background: Upper extremity pain and
decreased function resulting from potential nerve origin is a common problem due to physical or occupational
stresses. Outcomes for individuals with upper extremity pain arising from peripheral neuropathic symptoms based
on traditional interventions vary significantly in clinical practice and in the literature indicating further study is
needed to improve treatment effectiveness and efficacy. Neurodynamic techniques are a developing treatment
technique for patients experiencing pain in the upper extremity from potential neural origin. Purpose: The
purpose of this study is to evaluate whether static stretching, a local neurodynamic technique, or a global
neurodynamic will have an effect on pain pressure threshold and grip strength. Methods: 60 subjects between
the ages of 18-29 from a Midwest University were randomly divided into 3 intervention groups. Intervention
groups included static stretch, local neurodynamics techniques of upper limb radial nerve, and global
neurodynamics techniques consisting of dynamic long sit slump. Pain pressure threshold (PPT) and grip strength
measurements were taken pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a 2-3 day follow-up time period. Results:
No significant changes were found regarding changes in pain pressure threshold or grip strength within or
between groups, except for the main effect of treatment change in PPT on the left from pre-intervention to postintervention F (1.8-102.7) = 3.28, p=.046. The effect size was small, partial η2 = .05. Conclusion: The current
29
study did not find significant changes in PPT or grip that demonstrate clinically useful changes with any of the
three different techniques. A limitation to the study was the use of healthy subjects compared to subjects with
pain or reduced function. The clinical findings reported by clinicians on improvements with pain and strength with
these techniques may not have been found with this subject population due to ceiling/floor effect of their current
pain and strength status compared to a patient population suffering with pain and decreased function.
The ratio of muscle strength between internal/external rotation and flexion/extension of the shoulder
measured with a Cybex isokinetic unit compared to a 10-repetition maximum using a pulley system
Kelsey Tobin, Steven Blom
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Richard Ekstrom
Purpose: The purpose of our study was to find internal rotation(IR)/external rotation(ER) and flexion/extension
shoulder muscle ratios with an isokinetic machine compared to a 10-repetition maximum (RM) utilizing a weighted
pulley system.
Background: Finding strength ratios of the shoulder can be beneficial in exposing muscle
imbalances and predicting injury risk. Isokinetic testing is the gold standard of measuring dynamic muscular
strength of the shoulder. There is limited research on utilizing a 10 RM with a weighted pulley system to measure
IR/ER and flexion/extension strength ratios, however it would be efficient for clinical use. Design: Prospective,
single-group, repeated measures design. Methods: Strength ratios were measured in twenty-three college-aged
students utilizing an isokinetic machine and finding a 10 RM on a weighted pulley system. On the first day of
testing, subjects were tested on the isokinetic machine and found an approximate 10 RM. Two days following, the
subjects found their true 10 RM on the weighted pulley machine. Subjects were tested in an identical supine
position for both methods. Results: The isokinetic machine showed ER strength to be 86% of IR strength and the
weighted pulley system showed ER strength to be 87% of IR strength, resulting in a 1% difference. The isokinetic
machine showed flexion strength to be 86% of extension strength and the weighted pulley system showed flexion
strength to be 72% of extension strength, resulting in a 14% difference.
Conclusion: Although the
flexion/extension strength ratios found using a 10RM may not correlate well with strength ratios found using the
isokinetic unit, the strength values are comparable to the normative ratios found in the literature. Therefore,
finding a 10RM utilizing a weighted pulley system is a practical method to use in a clinical setting for measuring
IR/ER and flexion/extension shoulder strength ratios.
Session 1d: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center CDC
SUSD2 expression in breast cancer polarizes tumor-associated macrophages to promote tumor immune
evasion
Mitch Patrick
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kristi Egland
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are highly plastic cells that readily respond to and are reprogrammed by
chemokine signals found within the tumor microenvironment (TME). The macrophage M1 classical phenotype is
associated with a pro-inflammatory response. The alternative M2 phenotype is associated with anti-inflammatory
properties and is associated with angiogenesis, metastasis and immunosuppressive T-cells. Sushi Domain
Containing 2 (SUSD2) encodes a type I transmembrane protein that is highly expressed in breast cancer (BCa), but
has minimal expression in normal, essential tissues. Using an in vivo syngeneic mouse model, the Egland
Laboratory determined that SUSD2 promoted BCa angiogenesis and altered the immune response in the tumor
milieu. Consistently, SUSD2-expressing BCa patient tumors contained 2-fold more TAMs compared to tumor that
do not express SUSD2, mainly of the M2 cancer promoting phenotype. To study the effect of SUSD2 on
macrophages, stable SUSD2-expressing and vector control MDA-MB-231 BCa cell lines were generated. For a
macrophage cell line, SC monocyte cells were differentiated into macrophages (M0) using a well-characterized
method of Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment. SC monocytes are non-adherent cells; however,
30
PMA stimulation induced strong adhesion, increased filopodia and cytoplasmic granules in the M0 cells, which is
consistent with macrophage morphology. Real Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RTqPCR) was used
to assess CD68 expression in M0 cells, a marker of the macrophage lineage. PMA stimulation induced a 8-fold
increase in CD68 mRNA. Phagocytosis is an integral function of macrophages. Using fluorescence microscopy, we
showed that the M0 cells were able to phagocytose FITC conjugated zymosan particles. These results indicate that
PMA stimulation of SC monocytes promoted differentiation into functional macrophages. Because cancer cells
often secrete pro-tumor chemokines to “hijack” TAMs to promote tumor growth and immune evasion, the
generated macrophage and SUSD2-expressing BCa cell lines will be utilized to decipher this intricate intercellular
communication.
SUSD2 expression in high-grade serous ovarian cancer correlates with increased patient survival and defective
mesothelial clearance
Jordan Sheets
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kristi Egland
The cause of death among the majority of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients involves passive dissemination
of cancer cells within the peritoneal cavity and subsequent implantation of cancer spheroids into adjacent organs.
Thus, it is important to identify the factors that mediate EOC metastasis and implantation, including clearance of
the mesothelium. Sushi Domain Containing 2 (SUSD2) encodes a type I transmembrane protein containing several
functional domains inherent to adhesion molecules. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis determined the
presence of SUSD2 in several subtypes of EOC, with the strongest staining observed in high-grade serous ovarian
carcinomas (HGSOC). A high-density, clinically-annotated HGSOC tissue microarray was stained with an antiSUSD2 antibody. Patients with tumors that had a low percentage of SUSD2 staining cells had a shorter median
survival (31.7 months) compared to patients that had tumors with extensive SUSD2 staining (49.1 months; p value
= 0.0083). To investigate the role of SUSD2 in HGSOC, stable OVCAR3, OVSAHO and KURAMOCHI cell lines were
established with knock-down (KD) or non-targeting (NT) of SUSD2. Boyden chamber and wound healing assays
demonstrated that OVCAR3 and OVSAHO SUSD2-KD cells migrated at significantly higher rates than the OVCAR3
NT cells. RT-qPCR and western immunoblot analysis indicated an inverse relationship between SUSD2 protein
expression and well characterized mesenchymal mRNA and protein expression including TWIST-1, ZEB1, and NCadherin in HGSOC OVCAR3 and OVSAHO cell line models. In addition, OVCAR3 and KURAMOCHI SUSD2-KD
spheroids displayed increased mesothelial clearance ability compared to cells that express endogenous levels of
SUSD2. This data suggests that SUSD2 plays a role in the inhibition of mesothelial clearance, which is required for
metastasis. Altogether, our findings indicate that SUSD2 impedes migration, EMT, and mesothelial clearance of
HGSOC cells, consistent with prolonged survival of patients with SUSD2-expressing tumors.
Mifepristone increases mRNA translation rate, triggers the unfolded protein response in ovarian cancer cells
Lei Zhang
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Carlos Telleria
Ovarian cancer (OC) is a lethal gynecological disease due to late diagnosis and lack of effective long-term
treatment. We previously demonstrated that a synthetic steroid, mifepristone (MF), blocks the growth of OC cells
at the G1 phase of the cell cycle by increasing the expression of cyclin dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitors p21cip1
and p27kip1. Unbiased genomic and proteomic screening using OC cell lines of different genetic backgrounds led
to the discovery that MF up-regulated the master chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), glucose regulated
protein (GRP) 78. Further studies revealed that MF activated the three unfolded-protein response (UPR)associated signaling pathways, PERK, IRE1α, and ATF6, in a time- and dose-dependent manner as well as causing
ER expansion. Because the activation of UPR is usually associated with a transient decline in the rate of mRNA
translation, we assessed the rate of protein translation using a non-radiative approach. Contrary to our
expectation, we found that MF increased protein translation rate in a dose- and time- dependent manner.
31
Elevated phosphorylation of polypeptide chain translation initiator factor eIF2α, which is a limiting factor for
protein synthesis, rapidly yet temporarily diminished by mifepristone and concurrently with an increase of protein
translational rate. The splicing of XBP1 mRNA as a non-translatable readout of the UPR abrogated when the cells
were co-incubated with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. It indicated that protein synthesis is
required for MF-induced UPR. In conclusion, we find that in OC cells, MF causes expansion of the ER, triggers the
UPR and increases the rate of protein translation.
Session 1e: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center Ballroom A
Improving Policy through Applied Research
Benjamin Deverman, Olivia Mann, Martin Munoz, Adam Slyter
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Shane Nordyke
Since 1939, USD's Government Research Bureau has conducted applied research on public policy and
administration throughout the state of South Dakota. The GRB specializes in policy analysis, strategic planning,
community assessment and development, and program evaluation. Student researchers from the GRB will present
a sample of recent GRB projects in order to demonstrate the type and quality of research conducted by the GRB.
The presentation will cover assorted projects completed throughout the last year, including the South Dakota
Highway Safety Plan, the City of Harrisburg Community Assessment Survey, and our evaluation of the South
Dakota GEAR UP educational program.
Session 1f: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center Ballroom BC
Performing the Elizabethan Humors
Rebecca Jeanne Bailey*
Theatre
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Chaya Gordon-Bland
During Elizabethan England when Shakespeare was writing, the way an individual's medical ailments were
described was very different than today. Clinical disorders were not named as depression or anxiety, instead the
Elizabethan's attributed a person's behavior on the proportion of four bodily fluids: black bile, phlegm, yellow bile,
and blood known as the four humors. The excess of each humor created a particular temperament that
characteristically described the nature of the afflicted. An excess of black bile created the temperament
melancholy, phlegm created phlegmatic, yellow bile turned a person choleric, and an overabundance of blood
made a person sanguine. Recognition of the temperaments in text and performance would have been
commonplace to the people of Shakespeare's day. The hundreds of references to the humors in Shakespeare's
plays would have informed actors and been recognized by spectators. Since the humors would have been
diagnosed based on visual cues, it is reasonable to use a physical perspective to tap into the understanding of
these temperaments. Rudolph Laban's Effort Factors and the use of the Natural Elements distill movement into
the most basic elements using weight, space, time, and flow. The medicinal practice of studying the humors was
part of the everyday life of this audience, who knew the behaviors for each humor. The Elizabethan sensibility is
not a part of our performance lexicon, so we must find a way to tap into this period understanding and return this
facet of the character to the work. By considering the performance of the humoral references through a more
modern lens, we find an approachable method to including these historical references in the modern actor's work.
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"On the Verge or: The Geography of Yearning" A Ten Minute Scene Presentation
Ryan William Fortney*
Theatre
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Raimondo Genna
This past January MFA directing candidate Ryan Fortney along with undergraduate University of South Dakota
actors Kelsey Mitteness, Jackie Webb and Leah Geis traveled to Minneapolis to attend the Region V Kennedy
Center American College Theatre Festival. At the festival they competed in the SDC Ten Minute Scene Scholarship
competition. Their scene was from Eric Overmyer's "On the Verge or: The Geography of Yearning". Together they
researched the era of the show, the dialect of the three ladies and the unique periods in time that the three main
characters travel to throughout the show. Ryan and his actresses were critiqued by members of the Guthrie
Theatre, the Kennedy Center and numerous universities across the country. Their work was praised as ambitious,
emotional and humorously mature. Ryan's unique use of the space and attention to detail were often highlights
of the feedback sessions. The three actresses we consistently praised for their adaptation to their new
surroundings in the continuously changing performance spaces as well as their masterful attention to the language
and their own physical presence for each character. At the end of the week their scene was announced as the
scholarship recipient. As part of this award Ryan will attend the national festival this April in Washington DC where
he will compete along other regional winners at the Kennedy Center.
The MARCKS BioID Transgenic Mouse Facilitates Identification of Novel In Vivo Partners of Myristoylated
Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate (MARCKS) in Radial Progenitors and Neurons of the NEX lineage.
Jon J. Brudvig
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jill Weimer
In the developing cerebral cortex, MARCKS regulates radial glial progenitor polarity, axonal commissure formation,
and lamination patterning, but the specific molecular interactions underlying these functions have not been
elucidated. Existing techniques for identifying protein-protein interactions are limited in their ability to identify
transient interactions and to identify interactions taking place in specific cell populations in vivo. To address this
problem have developed a new application of proximity-dependent biotinylation (BioID) to generate a history of
protein associations in discrete cell populations in vivo. We have generated the first transgenic BioID mouse
model, which utilizes a MARCKS-BirA fusion protein to label proximal proteins in a cell-type specific manner. This
transgene is preceded by a floxed stop element to prevent expression until recombination occurs. Cell-type
specificity will be achieved by crossing the MARCKS BioID mouse with various cre lines, including hGFAP-cre
(targeting the radial progenitors early in development) and Nex(NeuroD6)-cre (targeting excitatory projection
neurons). Proximal proteins which are labeled by the MARCKS-BirA fusion protein will then be isolated and
characterized with mass spectrometry, providing insight into the molecular mechanisms by which MARCKS
governs cortical patterning.
Effects of hypothyroidism on D1 receptor mediated stimulation of cFos protein expression in specific brain
regions of young female hamsters
Lauren Elizabeth Cass‡
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Evelyn Schlenker
Hypothyroidism is a very common endocrine disorder. Studies from our laboratory indicate that thyroid status
may affect the function of dopamine receptors in the CNS. In this study we evaluated the effects of hypothyroidism
on D1 receptor function in various brain regions of young female hypothyroid (H) and euthyroid (E) hamsters by
33
stimulating D1 receptors using the D1 specific receptor agonist SKF 38393 or vehicle as a control. To determine
neuronal stimulation we evaluated the expression of cFos protein (a marker of neuron stimulation) in various
brain regions of the female H and E hamsters using immunohistochemistry. Brain regions that were evaluated
included area postrema, medial nucleus, pyramid, spinal cord, and sections of the hippocampus. The only region
that showed an effect of thyroid status on cFos expression was the pyramid with H > E. In the spinal cord, pyramid,
medial nucleus and area postrema SKF relative vehicle increased cFos expression in both groups. In the area
postrema the effect of SKF relative to vehicle was greater in E compared to H, whereas in the medial nucleus and
pyramid, the effect of SKF relative to vehicle was greater in H versus E. Interesting in the C2 region of the
hippocampus, SKF relative to vehicle decreased cFos expression in the E hamsters, but had no effect in the H group
resulting in an interactive effect of thyroid status and SKF. These results indicate that thyroid status in young
female hamsters causes a CNS regional specific response to stimulation of D1 receptors.
Modeling and Treating Infantile and Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis
Ryan Geraets
M.D./Ph.D.
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: David Pearce
The Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinoses (NCLs), also known as Batten disease, are a rare group of lysosomal storage
disorders that result from genetic mutations in at least 14 different genes. The average age of onset is dependent
on the affected gene and ranges from infancy to adulthood. Symptoms include loss of vision, seizures, loss of
motor function, cognitive deterioration, and death; all develop independent of the affected gene. Recent
examination of the NCL Resource Database indicates that two of the most common forms of NCL, Classic Infantile
(cINCL) and Classic Late-Infantile (cLINCL), are caused by a large percentage of nonsense mutations. Using this
information, we have developed novel mouse models of cINCL (Cln1R151X/R151X) and cLINCL
(Cln2R207X/R207X). These models provide a new system for assessing nonsense suppression therapies and other
therapeutic approaches within the context of treating cINCL and cLINCL.
Use of the IFSP Rating Scale in Evaluating IFSP Goals
Jennifer Renee Hall, Sarah Joy Moen, Alyssa Shay Pfeifle, Shelbi Leigh Hatfield
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lana Svien
Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) are reserved for children with disabilities birth to three years old that
qualify for services from an interdisciplinary healthcare team. The purpose of this study was to examine the use
of the IFSP Rating Scale to evaluate IFSP goals from a South Dakota Birth to Three Program. In order to be
considered high quality, it was hypothesized that each IFSP needed to receive an average rank of at least 4.5 on
the 5-point scale. This study used a multi-site retrospective chart review from 2014 using 10 initial and 10 annual
IFSPs. Three co-investigators reviewed and rated the IFSPs using the IFSP Rating Scale. Inter-rater reliability (IRR)
was determined by using two raters per IFSP. Raters A and B had an IRR of .750, raters B and C had an IRR of 441,
and raters A and C an IRR of -.288. Since the IRR for raters A and C had a negative correlation, the intra-rater
reliability was calculated for raters A and C. The intra-rater reliability for rater A was -.195 while rater C was .686.
The hypothesis was proven wrong as four of the initial IFSPs, were rated at 4.5 or above while five of the annual
IFSPs scored 4.5 or above. Based on the IFSP Rating Scale, South Dakota IFSPs in this sample lacked effectiveness
in addressing the child’s needs and appropriately delegating to parents and caregivers. South Dakota IFSPs are
difficult to determine whether the caregiver, parent, or therapists are carrying out the outcomes and procedures.
The procedures are written vaguely where the rater does not know if the parent or the therapist is carrying out
the interventions. Additionally, the IFSP Rating Scale lacked appropriate directions to the individual raters leading
to skewed inter-rater reliability.
34
The Influence of Flexibility and Sport Choice on Senior Athlete Injury and Fall Risk
Jenna Sieve, Marisa Blackwell, Sara Peterson-Baker
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Becca Jordre
Purpose: With a growing number of seniors participating in competitive sport the importance of understanding
the impact of physical activity on flexibility is increasing. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the
influence of sport type on flexibility and (2) investigate the relationship between recent injury or falls and
flexibility. Methods: Subjects (n=1624) were senior athletes who participated in National Senior Games (NSG)
competition between 2011 and 2015. Information was collected via interview for age, gender, handedness,
competitive sport, recent injuries, and fall history. Flexibility was assessed using goniometric measurements for
shoulder flexion supine, hip extension via Thomas Test and ankle dorsiflexion supine with the knee extended. A
general linear model with least significant difference post hoc testing was used for data analysis.
Results:
Dominant shoulder ROM showed a significant difference by sport (p<0.0001). Athletes competing in triathlon
showed the highest range of shoulder flexion (x ̅=174.11 degrees) while those in horseshoes (x ̅=161.60) show
significantly less. No sport specific differences were seen for hip or ankle mobility (ps>.05). Shoulder flexibility did
appear significantly lower in those with a recent history of shoulder and upper arm injury (p=0.023) though that
difference was less than 5 degrees. A report of recent lower body injuries were not found to be significantly
associated with ankle dorsiflexion (p=0.449) or hip extension (p=.992). Ankle dorsiflexion was significantly
associated with a history of falling (p<.0001) in the past 12 months. Conclusion: Shoulder flexion appears most
influenced by sport type for competitive senior athletes while hip and ankle mobility appear less affected. Injury
history reports appear more related to shoulder flexibility than ankle or hip flexibility though recent falls do relate
strongly to fewer degrees of ankle dorsiflexion.
Normative Data for Competitive Senior Athlete Flexibility
Jacy Brown, Britt Wickett, Clay Lovro
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Becca Jordre, William Schweinle
Background/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to (1) establish normative values for gastrocnemius length,
hip flexor length and shoulder flexion ROM in senior athletes and (2) to compare these values to normative values
found in the literature. Methods: Subjects (N=1628) were adults aged 50-100 registered to compete in the
National Senior Games. Shoulder flexion AROM was taken in a supine hook-lying. Gastrocnemius length was
determined with active ankle dorsiflexion in supine with the knee straight. The Thomas Test was used to
determine hip flexor length and was scored 0 if the athlete's hip extended to allow their thigh to rest fully
supported on the plinth. Hip flexion above a neutral plane was reported with positive measurements. Students ttests were used to compare values found in SAs to available age and gender matched norms where available.
When equivalent norms were unavailable, norms for young adults were used. Mean flexibility for each test was
calculated by gender and age-decade. ANOVAs and post hoc testing were used to determine differences in
flexibility by age and gender. Results: Mean flexibility in males was 168.91° (SD =10.32)(shoulder), 1.08° (Thomas
Test) and 7.18°(SD=5.51) (dorsiflexion). For females means were 173.49° (SD=6.54) (shoulder), 0.45° (Thomas
Test) and 6.42° (SD=5.23) (dorsiflexion). Significant differences were seen by age for shoulder flexion (p<.0001)
and ankle dorsiflexion (p<.0001) with significantly less flexibility seen at nearly all age-decades. By gender,
flexibility differences were seen only for shoulder flexion (p<.0001) and the Thomas Test (p<.0001) with greater
flexibility seen in female athletes. SAs showed significantly better shoulder and gastrocnemius flexibility than age
and gender matched norms (ps<.0001) though they were not superior to young adult gastrocnemius measures
(p=.329). Conclusion: Senior athletes show superior flexibility to currently available normative data though
trends in flexibility loss by age still persist.
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Pathways of Recycling: Dual-Stream
Keegan Riley Johnson
Sustainability
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Meghann Jarchow
Recycling has improved the environment, created local manufacturing jobs, and lowered greenhouse gases to
combat against climate change . Analyzing the two methods of stream recycling and their impact on communities
enhances our understanding of recycling programs. This paper examines the processes involved in dualstream/multi-stream and single-stream recycling systems. The tradeoffs of both processes are analyzed and
compared to one another showing the benefits and costs of each. Detailing how the collection and processing of
recycled materials is done for each system. The analysis of individual recycling programs allows for the
improvement of these programs and the implementation of them can benefit communities.
The Truth About Plastics
Ethan A. Pace
Sustainability
The plastic industry is booming in today’s society because plastics are very versatile and are used in a countless
number of items all across the world. The introduction of synthetic plastics simplified many lives, but synthetic
plastics do not break down easily in our environment. Plastics vary in their properties, which affects their
recyclability and the environmental impacts of recycling plastics affects where they can be recycled. There are
seven different kinds of synthetic plastic and each one has its one unique properties. These seven types of
synthetic plastics have varying decomposition times from a few years to hundreds of years, which make the
recycling of plastics an environmental concern. The in 1988, the society of the plastic industry created a labeling
system called the Resin Identification Code (RIC), this code labeled the different synthetic plastics to help
manufactures sort the different kinds of plastics in order to increase the efficiency of their recycling methods. This
also helped consumers recognize what is acceptable to recycle at their local recycling center. Many local recycling
centers in the US only accept RIC #1, 2, and sometimes 3 due to economic reasons along with the lack of
technology. Plastics # 4-7 typically end up in the landfills, but some recycling factories have resorted to shipping
the unwanted #4-7 plastics over seas to repurposing factories overseas. There are limited resources in our
environment, and we should not ship materials to other countries for their use. Recycling companies in the US
should adapt their system to environmental concerns, and invest in technologies to repurpose our own plastic
material.
Single Stream Recycling: the viable answer for recycling in an urban community
Tyler Jackson
Sustainability
An in depth look at single stream recycling programs evaluating the benefits such as the ease this type of program
offers to households and problems such as recycled material quality that other communities have faced. Analyzing
the change from a multi stream recycling program to a single stream recycling program, in regards to price and
benefits. A brief walk through in how materials are sorted and transported differently in a single stream recycling
program compared to all other types of collection; multi stream, dual stream, buy back centers, drop center.
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Sustainable Practices: A Systemic Look at Successes and Failures
Sara Packard
Sustainability
Under the threat of global warming, efforts to become a more sustainable society have increased. Examining
instances of failed and successful sustainable measures will help to reduce the environmental impacts of plastic
waste and provide information on cleaner sources of energy, mitigating environmental threats. Outcomes from
different attempts to curb the use of single-use plastic bags are explored, as well as a look at a recent attempt to
ban bottled water on a campus in Vermont. San Francisco banned plastic bags outright and instead offered paper
bags. When people failed to bring their own bags, the total volume of waste increased because paper bags are
heavier than plastic bags. On the other hand, Ireland imposed a fee for each plastic bag used and decreased plastic
bag use by 94%. A study from England exploring the total environmental impact of the life-cycle of different bag
options is examined, finding that grocery bags made from low-density polyethylene plastics may have the lowest
environmental impact when evaluating impact only on global warming, not considering threats to wildlife or ocean
pollution. A recent attempt by the University of Vermont to reduce plastic waste and reduce the amount of sugary
beverages consumed on campus banned the sale of bottled water. Research conducted afterward found that the
effect was the opposite-students and faculty were drinking more sugary beverages and using more plastic bottles.
What Makes Cities Sustainable: A Case Study on Copenhagen
Carly Holmstrom
Sustainability
Following by example is a really important part of helping our societies grow. By learning what works and what
doesn't, we can help each community better itself. Copenhagen, Denmark is considered one of the world's most
sustainable cities and understanding how that city functions can be valuable to other cities as they move towards
a more sustainable future. As our Sustainability Capstone class works to implement a recycling program for the
University of South Dakota, following models of successful cities will help us in this first step toward our goal for
a more sustainable university and city. To look into this, I researched the systems involved that make the city so
sustainable. I found that Copenhagen is extremely energy efficient and uses many sources of renewable energy.
Their transportation system is bicycle and public transportation focused, so cars in the city don't have the priority
like in many other large cities. Secondly, I looked at how Copenhagen communicates those systems to its residents,
and how those systems were adopted by the whole city. The people who live in Copenhagen endorse this push
toward sustainability and are generally very conscious of their impact on the environment. The residents care
about Copenhagen being clean and remaining a leading sustainable city. And finally, I found that Copenhagen has
goals to continue its efforts into the future as they aim to be carbon neutral by 2025. By following the success that
Copenhagen has, cities around the world including Vermillion can be more sustainable.
Using Social Pressure As a Tool of Persuasion to Encourage Recycling and Other Pro-Social Behaviors at USD
Kaitlyn C. Rangel
Sustainbility
Social pressure can often play a role in influencing people’s behavior. In order to survive harsh environments,
humans have adapted to be more inclined to conform to their peers and their communities. This adaptation can
be instrumental in the art of persuasion. Although many Americans pride themselves on their individuality, studies
show that most are in fact heavily influenced by the attitudes and behaviors of our peers. Furthermore, some
studies indicate that social pressure not only encourages conformity, but also encourages general pro-social
behavior regardless of what the local norm seems to be. For example, even when litter is already present on the
ground (local norm), social pressure will cause more individuals to put their garbage in waste receptacles
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regardless of the litter’s presence. These kinds of findings have hopeful implications for the future of USD’s
recycling program as recycling is considered a pro-social behavior. USD is currently working on creating a campus
wide recycling program. Marketing the program using social pressure before and after its launch will increase
participation in and support of recycling on the USD campus. Determining which techniques will be most
successful in this context will require first understanding how social pressure and persuasion function, tailoring
those techniques to the college campus as an audience, and finally creating a plan to implement those techniques
at USD.
Session 2d: 10:00 am-10:50 am - Muenster University Center CDC
Children, War and Execution and Visual Language.
Leila Ghasempor†
Art
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Michael Hill, Cory Knedler
My personal ideas are divided into two categories; first category include some works that I have done in pastel on
wood, which I have written my English poem over my drawing and I have depicted a story that I have been
explaining in my poem. So that a viewer can see my works and have a visual image of what I am going to transfer
through my artwork. In fact, as an art student I believe when I am doing a work, it should have a reason and not
be so ambiguous for my viewers. Second categories of my works are in watercolor and gouache on paper. Since
I come from Iran and we have a very old style of Persian Painting, watching those works inspired me to do a new
style. Persian miniature in the past have been describing mythological stories and here for my own ideas, I just
draw what in my thoughts came up not depicting story. I just enjoy depict the beauty and show mighty aspect
of heavenly scenes. Because every human needs sometimes to look at a photo or painting or any kind of art to be
relax for a few minutes and be separated from all distresses and difficulties which have in their life ,at least that
is my believe as an artist. I have developed my works more through Mini-grants that I got in Fall 2015 and it was
so helpful to me. I could buy the art supplies that I wanted to have to make good quality works. Also it has inspired
me to explore more for my future projects and I really appreciate that. To sum up, that is all my recent artworks
which I have done in two months and I would love to share it with community.
Feminine Agency through Art and Performance
Klaire B. L. Pearson*
Art
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Johntimothy Pizzuto
Performance art is rare in South Dakota, and this presentation will report about the first flash mob performed at
an art reception at the University of South Dakota. Painter Klaire B. L. Pearson organized a flash mob performance
as part of her M.F.A. thesis exhibition in the John A. Day Gallery to compliment her life-sized portraits of
disgruntled women. The public performance consisted of dozens of women from USD and the surrounding
communities who danced to Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" as a surprise to gallery attendees.
This exciting performance was a chance to unify dancers of various ages and backgrounds in order to demonstrate
that art can be fun and accessible to all. Discover how the flash mob was organized, how viewers reacted, and see
a video of the performance.
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Session 2e: 9:00 am-9:50 am - Muenster University Center Ballroom A
Klemens von Metternich as a Role Model to Young Henry Kissinger
Olivia Strom
Modern Languages
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Istvan Gombocz
In this presentation, I hope to investigate the ties between Henry Kissinger and famous Austrian diplomat Klemens
von Metternich. I will provide a short summary of Metternich's career in early nineteenth century Europe. I also
will research the inspiration Kissinger gained from Metternich's career as an Austrian diplomat, and how he
incorporated it into his own career as a diplomat in the United States. Following this I will introduce young
Kissinger and his views and policies. Lastly, I will outline the significant inspiration Kissinger gained from
Metternich-things such as advancing stability and maintaining a balance of power-and how he applied this to his
own policies.
The Refinement of One's Moral Sense Through Music in the Enlightenment
Rosemarie Clauson
Honors
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Istvan Gombocz
In my presentation I would like to discuss the correlation between the evolution of music during the
Enlightenment and the work of the Scottish philosopher Francis Hutcheson's short essay, "Concerning the Moral
Sense" (1755). One's "moral taste," as suggested by Hutcheson, comes from continued refinement of one's palette
through exposure to fine arts. First I will examine the transition from the beautiful to the sublime during the
Enlightenment. I will be referencing to another one of Hutcheson's essays, "Ideas of Beauty and Virtue" as well as
Edmund Burke's short essay on "The Sublime." Through these two essays, clear definitions of beauty and sublime
can be provided, along with a partiality to the sublime. I then will be examining how famous composers such as
Haydn, Beethoven, and Erskine started the transition to sublimity in orchestral music by adding new
instrumentation and patterns into their symphonies. However, I believe that through either beautiful or sublime
artwork, one's "moral taste," as suggested by Hutcheson, can be improved. I hope to represent that while the
Enlightenment was a time of transition in music from the beautiful to the sublime, it was also a period of increased
perception and intelligence.
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Session 2f: 10:00 am-10:50 am - Muenster University Center Ballroom BC
Micropolitan Development in South Dakota: the Growth and Survival of Third-Tier Cities throughout the State
Joslynn A. Clauson
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kathryn Birkeland
Small communities and micropolitan areas represent an important part of American society, especially in rural
states such as South Dakota. These small communities are subject to a number of unique social and economic
pressures, which may ultimately result in community collapse and failure - the modern day "ghost towns" of the
rural midwest. In my research, I analyze the social and economic structures unique to small communities by using
public databases and records to understand the cities demographic structure, age structure, main economic
activity or sources of community revenue, education, and other developmentally significant information. I then
compare micropolitan areas amongst themselves, as well as to the metropolitan areas of the state, and note key
distinctions that contribute to successful or unsuccessful towns.
Small, closely-knit communities represent a
significant proportion of citizens in the Midwestern United States. Understanding how these communities
develop, how they operate, and why they sometimes fail is a key part of learning how to help them succeed in
years to come. My goal for this project, ultimately, is to understand development of rural communities, and
understand resources and policies that will allow for the continued development and profitability of micropolitan
economic environments.
Predicting Academic Outcome via Multiple Motivational Structures and Student Learning Environment
Ryan E. Los
Counseling and Psychology in Education
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Amy Schweinle
It has been well established that student success is linked with motivation and the instructional environment
(Kitsantas & Zimmerman, 2009; Pintrich, 2004; Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2001). While previous research has
examined the instructional environment from both the student and teacher perspective, it has typically been
conducted through singular theories and populations. In this study multiple theories of motivation and learning
approach are utilized to answer the call from Educational Psychology for holistic models of academic achievement
(Linnenbrink-Garcia & Patall, 2015). This study uses hierarchical linear modeling to examine student factors nested
within the instructional environment to predict academic success, specifically by matching students to their
instructors across multiple courses. Participants were students and their instructors at a university in the
Midwestern United States. Students identified their course and responded to a survey consisting of motivation,
learning approach, responsibility for learning, and academic success measures based on the identified course.
Instructors similarly identified a course and responded to a survey consisting of motivation and approach to
teaching measures. Preliminary results found that student personal factors interact with the learning environment
to impact academic success. Specifically, when the learning environment matched student personal factors there
was a higher level of academic success.
The Absolute and Comparative Advantage of Getting a College Education in Today's Society
Lara Williams
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Mandie Weinandt
Adam Smith and David Ricardo's important tenants in classical economy led to many other lasting contributions.
Their ideas of absolute advantage and comparative advantage can not only be applied to international trade as it
was originally intended, it can also be applied to many other real life situations such as acquiring a college
education. By looking at the opportunity cost, we can compare the absolute and comparative advantage of a
college education versus a high school diploma. By attending college, the student loses out on four year's salary,
40
plus also pays an additional fee to acquire the degree. If a person enters right into the work force after high school,
they can earn 4 years of salary, but pay off may be less. Also, by looking at the worth of a college degree through
advancement in career or salary earnings, it can be determined if the benefits of the college education outweighs
the costs. Additionally, the ease of acquiring the college education today can factor into its advantage. Because a
college education today is less prestigious than it was in the past, advancements may be far less. The opportunity
costs may be higher today because of what the student must give up in that four years of education for a pay off
that may be less than it was years ago. The ease of education may be even easier in the future, creating a larger
opportunity cost. Taking into account these factors and using various economic ideas, we can determine how
much of a payoff a college education really is.
Sex Differences in Anxiety Symptoms after Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Laura Christine Fox*
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gina L. Forster
Mild traumatic brain injuries (mild TBIs) make up over three-quarters of head traumas diagnosed in the United
States each year, and over $16 billion is spent annually attempting to treat their complications. These closed-head
injuries often occur on sports fields, battle fields, and in domestic altercations, but do not result in fractured or
penetrated skulls. Consciousness is lost for less than 30 minutes or not at all. In many cases, symptoms do not
arise until weeks, months, or even years after impact. In addition to cognitive deficits, symptoms can be
psychological in nature, including mood changes, anxiety and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Over half of victims
of mild TBI will go on to experience such psychological symptoms, and treatment can be lengthy and difficult.
Males receive more traumatic brain injuries than do females overall, but a greater percentage of females have
problems after injury. It has been suggested that reproductive hormones may play a role in how the brain
responds to mild TBI. Research findings from our rat model support these ideas. In this model, using concurrent
social stress with injury (as would happen in sport, domestic violence or war), anxiety symptoms were assessed
with an elevated plus maze. Mild TBI increased anxious behavior most prominently in male rats and in females
during diestrus, a reproductive cycle phase of low estradiol and low progesterone similar to levels in males.
Females in phases with higher circulating hormone levels showed resilience to mild TBI-induced anxiety in this
experiment. These results indicate a clear sex difference in response to mild TBI, and are a first step to
understanding how hormones may critically influence the outcomes of head injuries. Funded by a Sanford School
of Medicine Research Grant, a USD Graduate Student Award, and a CBBRe Trainee Research Grant.
Using a transgenic mouse model to study pediatric brain cancer
Katie Picotte
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Haotian Zhao
Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common, malignant brain tumor in children. Treatment is limited to resection,
or removal, of the tumor, along with limited craniospinal irradiation and chemotherapy. This regimen has been
considered successful for many patients; however, long-term consequences often occur with damage to the
developing brain, in addition to recurrence of a more aggressive tumor. In order to improve upon treatment,
transgenic mouse models have been developed to recapitulate the human disease. The technology of transgenics
involves deleting or inserting a gene of interest into the genome of a specimen, with mice being the most common
species used. This manipulation of the genome can also be targeted, whether to a specific cell within the body
(also known as 'conditional expression') or the gene can be turned on or off at a specific time (referred to as
'induced'). Because the molecular pathways are very similar, oftentimes identical, between humans and mice, this
41
technology has allowed us to understand how a particular gene mutation may be involved with cancer
development and recurrence. We have developed a mouse model of medulloblastoma that leads to growth of a
primary tumor, but also leads to metastasis of tumor cells within the brain and spinal cord. With the use of our
metastatic mouse model of medulloblastoma, we hope to better understand the processes underlying
dissemination of tumor cells in order to improve treatment efficacy.
Effects of adolescent bullying on adult drug seeking behavior
Shaydel Engel
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Michael Watt
Teenage bullying is a major concern, with over 10% of US teenagers reporting severe or repeated bullying.
Problems arising from bullying subsist well into adulthood, including increased substance abuse. This may be a
result of stress-induced disruption of the developing adolescent brain, which undergoes dynamic reorganization
in areas related to impulse control, such as the prefrontal cortex. This scenario can be studied using an adolescent
rodent social defeat paradigm, a model of teenage bullying. We have shown that experience of social defeat in
adolescence causes decreased dopamine activity in the adult prefrontal cortex, and also promotes increased
seeking of cues associated with amphetamine. In humans, drug cue seeking is known to increase motivation to
take drugs, and is thought to be a major cause of becoming addicted. Currently, we are determining if preventing
the decrease in adult prefrontal cortex dopamine, as caused by adolescent defeat, will normalize drug cue seeking.
Establishing this causal link between adolescent social stress, cortical dopamine, and drug seeking is crucial, as it
will facilitate development of targeted pharmacotherapies for preventing the onset of drug addiction following
teenage bullying.
The role of the COP9 signalosome in neointimal hyperplasia
Chao Suo
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Xuejun Wang
The role of the COP9 signalosome in neointimal hyperplasia Student: Chao Suo; Mentors: Drs. Xuejun Wang and
Douglas Martin Neointimal hyperplasia is a pathological process triggered by vascular damage, where vascular
smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) proliferate and migrate into the innermost layer of the vessel wall, and thereby
narrowing the vascular lumen. This is a very common phenomenon and frequently occur for example after the
percutaneous coronary interventions for treating heart attack. Altered behaviors of VSMCs and endothelia
dominate neointimal hyperplasia. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is the main pathway for protein
degradation in the cell. A protein molecule destined for degradation is first labeled with ubiquitin via a process
known as ubiquitination which is catalyzed by the ubiquitin-activating enzyme (E1), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme
(E2) and ubiquitin ligases (E3). Then the polyubiquitinated protein is recognized and degraded by the proteasome.
The UPS is associated with the regulations of cell cycle and cell death, which can decide the fate of cells. There are
multiple layers of regulation for the UPS. The COP9 signalosome (CSN) is a key regulator of cullin-RING family of
ubiquitin ligases. The CSN is constituted by 8 subunits (COPS1 to COPS8). COPS8 was reported to play an important
role in maintaining the proper duration of the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Decreased COPS8 can accelerate cell
growth rate. On the other hand, cardiac COPS8 deficiency causes massive cardiomyocyte necrosis in mice. The
goal of this project is to determine the role of CSN or COPS8 in vascular biology. Ligation of the common carotid
artery (CCA) can reproducibly trigger neointimal hyperplasia in the mice. The objectives of this study include to
determine the effect of reduced COPS8 expression on CCA ligation induced neointima formation using COPS8
hypomorphic and wild type mice and to explore the underlying mechanisms.
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PDE1 inhibition improves cardiac protein quality control
Hanming Zhang
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Xuejun Wang
The protein quality control (PQC) system functions to minimize the cellular toxicity introduced by protein
misfolding. PQC primarily relies on molecular chaperones and the targeted degradation of misfolded proteins. The
latter is currently known to require the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and the autophagic-lysosomal
pathway (ALP). Virtually all cardiovascular disease ends up heart failure (HF), the leading cause of death of our
society. UPS function insufficiency is implicated in the genesis of a large subset of HF, making cardiac PQC
enhancement via promoting UPS and ALP function a promising therapeutic strategy to treat HF. Previously, we
have demonstrated that stimulating protein kinase G (PKG) genetically or via inhibition of the type 5
phosphodiesterase (PDE5) improves UPS performance, facilitates the removal of misfolded proteins in
cardiomyocytes and slows down the progression of cardiac proteinopathy in a transgenic mouse model
(CryABR120G). PKA has also been shown to enhance proteasomal function. Our preliminary studies reveal that
myocardial protein levels of PDE1A, which suppresses both PKG and PKA, are remarkably elevated in the
CryABR120G mice. Hence we hypothesize that PDE1 inhibition (PDE1I) stimulates cardiac proteasomes via PKG
and PKA activation and thereby protects against cardiac proteotoxicity. GFPu/GFPdgn is a surrogate substrate and
a proven an inverse reporter of UPS performance. Our experiments showed that PDE1 inhibitor LSN dose- and
time-dependently decreased GFPu in cultured cardiomyocytes. Cycloheximide chase assays further confirmed
that PDE1I shortened the half-life of GFPu, indicative of improved UPS performance. Moreover, GFPdgn mice
treated with LSN (3mg/kg, i.p.) displayed a significant reduction of myocardial GFPdgn protein but not mRNA
levels. Taken together, our data strongly indicate that PDE1I improves cardiac UPS performance and PDE1
represents a potential target to treat cardiac diseases with elevated proteotoxicity.
Critical Place-Based Pedagogy in Rural Agricultural Communities
Emily Roberson
Sustainability
Critical place-based education is a pedagogy that emphasizes making education geographically significant to
students. Critical place-based pedagogy combines principles of both critical pedagogy and place-based education;
it provides a framework for educators that gives students a chance to connect with their local environment while
also challenging them to discover the pieces of their communities that should either change or stay the same. As
rural agricultural communities struggle with declining populations and unsustainable farming practices, placebased education may be a way to involve a community's youth in its revitalization efforts. For students who plan
to stay in rural communities, a curriculum that stresses sense of place and environmental stewardship may inspire
students to educate themselves about more environmentally-friendly farming practices. An educational
curriculum that makes school relevant to the lives of rural students may also help the problem of rural "brain
drain." For students who struggle in traditional classroom settings or for those who feel that school is not relevant
to their lives, critical place-based education helps them to see the continuity between their education and their
community's history, culture, and economic success. Lastly, critical place-based education shows students that
success is not a distinctly urban phenomenon. Critical place-based pedagogy can benefit rural agricultural
communities in the United States by nurturing environmental literacy and empathy, creating resilient
communities with strong social capital, and making school relevant to rural students.
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A History of Spirit Mound in Relationship to the History of the City of Vermillion, South Dakota
Sabrina Schnack
Sustainability
Spirit Mound has cultural significance to the people of Clay County that has been more recently cultivated by the
Spirit Mound Trust. The unique geological appearance of Spirit Mound has drawn attention toward it since the
days before the United States was colonized by EuroAmericans. However, a comprehensive history of Spirit
Mound's interaction with the southern Clay County area - specifically the City of Vermillion - has yet to be
documented. This project's goal was to report instances of importance in Spirit Mound's history while highlighting
how it has been changed by the City of Vermillion, with an emphasis on the general history of the City of
Vermillion. During intense research conducted through a variety of sources, focusing on local documentation, the
Vermillion Public Library was the most helpful because of its resources available in the South Dakota Room, which
is specifically organized for keeping information about Vermillion in one place. It was found that there is little
information about the general area of Vermillion and Spirit Mound before the arrival of the Corps of Discovery led
by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. It is even unknown who was the first inhabitant of the town of Vermillion.
Although it is known that after the Corps of Discovery left the area fur traders moved in before the Corps had
finished their expedition - these fur traders then slowly became the City of Vermillion. While there is likely not a
causal relationship between the Corps of Discovery and the founding of the City of Vermillion, the visit is a
significant historical milestone for the area. The event of their visit also leads chronologically into to formation of
Vermillion and is important in understanding the relationship between the city and Spirit Mound. Spirit Mound
was then involved in the growth of the Vermillion education system, the agricultural life of the area, and, finally,
the prairie reserve that it has become today.
Glacial Features in Eastern South Dakota emphasizing Spirit Mound
Calvin Brink
Sustainability
Glacial features are present in Eastern South Dakota from the Wisconsin glacial episode. Tongues of the Laurentide
ice sheet traveled southeast across the state transforming the landscape. Evidence of this event appear in a
number of features including Spirit Mound. As ice passed over Sioux Quartzite in Minnehaha County, it polished
the rock and left striations. Glaciers are able to carry a massive amount of sediment of varying grain size; as ice
receded, it dropped silt, clay, cobbles, and boulders. This poorly sorted sediment is a unique glacial feature called
drift. The prairie pothole region occupies the northern part of the study area. Pothole lakes formed when the
glacier receded leaving large chunks of ice on the ground. The ice created depressions in the soil making reservoirs
for the meltwater. The peak of Spirit Mound stands 400 feet above the surrounding prairie. Some controversy
exists about what kind of geologic feature Spirit Mound is; drumlins and roche moutonnees are both streamlined
glacial formations that look quite similar. Roche moutonnees form when glacial ice sheers the front of a rock face,
and deposits the debris on the far side of the formation. Drumlins form as a glacier passes over resistant bedrock.
The ice mass drops sediment on the downstream side of the rock creating a long slope in the direction of flow.
Spirit Mound fits the characteristics of a drumlin best. The rock core of the formation is made of Niobrara Chalk.
Niobrara Chalk is a limestone formed in the Upper Cretaceous period when a continental seaway inundated the
area. Spirit Mound is an example of how glaciers influenced the landscape of eastern South Dakota.
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Conservation and Children: Methods for Instilling Conservation Awareness in Elementary-Aged Children
Alexa Kruse
Sustainability
Elementary-aged children are most effectively taught about conservation importance through a combination of
social expressions, hands-on experiences, and classroom learning. This paper explores different studies on
conservation education implementation for students in elementary school. Three categories of learning were
explored. The first, usually carried out with a combination of demonstration, collaboration, and traditional lecture
techniques, highlights how students interact in highly social situations to learn conservation in interdisciplinary
ways, and how adult leadership and passion for a topic can help instill excitement about conservation topics in
children. The second category, hands-on learning, expands upon the importance of experiencing nature to employ
conservation ideals, and how hands-on activities can improve how children view educational experiences. The
third learning category, carried out largely with traditional lecture techniques and some demonstration,
underlines the importance of classroom learning experiences, whether it be lectures or participatory activities,
and investigates different levels of success when it comes to implementing conservation education in students'
curriculum. Each of these categories is applied to elementary conservation education locally. The Sustainability
Capstone students at The University of South Dakota will be working with educators at Jolley Elementary School
in Vermillion, South Dakota to develop in-class curricula and outdoor activities for an afternoon at Spirit Mound
State Park, specifically with activities regarding prairie restoration at Monarch Meadows.
Disappearing Prairie: Effects of Habitat Loss on Pheasant Populations
Cody Sack
Sustainability
Tall grass prairies once used to dominate the landscape of the central part of the United States. Homesteading of
the Great Plains in the late part of the 1800s would start to alter vast landscape. A growing human population
with a high demand for food and other resources has reduced to once wide open prairie into small areas such as
hilly areas or fence lines. With agriculture playing such an important role to human needs and the economy the
vast majority of tall grass prairies have been destroyed. The conversion from natural habitat to an agricultural one
has put strain on pheasants. The habitat they depend on such as grassy fields, wetlands, and wooded areas have
been reduced, destroyed, or degraded. This habitat destruction has led to a decline in Ring-necked pheasant
populations. This game bird is an important species because it plays a financial role for some states such as South
Dakota. There are conservation techniques that farmers can do to help these birds out. This includes such things
as foot plots, planting woody areas such as shelterbelts, and reestablishing working grassland. Not only will this
help pheasant populations but also other species that require a similar habitat.
The Role of Pollinators in Healthy Ecosystems
Sydney Hancock
Sustainability
Flowers have specific shapes and colors to attract different kinds of pollinators and pollinators then are equipped
to pollinate all different kinds of flowers; this coevolution through time has allowed plants and pollinators to thrive
through changing environments. Pollination is therefore essential to all flowering plants' life cycles. Pollinators
benefit their ecosystems in a variety of ways. They are a keystone and an indicator species meaning without them
the health and function of an ecosystem can dramatically decline, and if they are dying off then we know the
ecosystem's health is in jeopardy. The ecosystem services they provide allow 75 percent of flowering plants to be
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pollinated, countless species to feed off the nectar, fruits, leaves or pollen that is created, and the ecosystems to
thrive in a balanced manner. Pollination is therefore a key process in the health and stability of an ecosystem.
Session 3d: 11:00 am - 11:50 am - Muenster University Center CDC
What changes in the brain when one learns to use a tool?
Taylor James Bosch
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lee Baugh
While many animals use objects in their environment as tools to accomplish goals that are impossible to achieve
with their biological effectors alone, humans have developed a culture which revolves around the everyday use
of tools. When a non-human primate learns to use a tool, their brain's representation of the body expands to
include the tool during movement planning. In addition, after a non-human primate has extensively interacted
with a tool, areas of the brain known as the mirror neuron system (MNS) are active during tool use action
observation (Ferrari, Rozzi, & Fogassi, 2005). In contrast, humans display MNS activity during tool use action
observation without having to extensively interact with the tool, seemingly as a result of their extensive
experience with a variety of tools. Interestingly, an additional brain region known as the anterior supramarginal
gyrus (aSMG) is consistently active when humans observe a multitude of tools being used (Peeters et al., 2009).
However, the analogous region in the non-human primate brain isn't active while observing tool use, even after
the non-human primate has gained extensive experience with the tool. Therefore, it is of interest to explore
whether MNS activity, as it pertains to tool use, is modulated by experience or if a unique biological system exists
in humans that quickly incorporates new tools into the brain's representation of the body. To do this, humans
with little prior experience with a particular tool (chopsticks) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI) scans while observing the skillful use of chopsticks before and after they were trained to use the tool
themselves. Results indicated that while MNS activity was modulated by experience, aSMG activity did not change
following tool use motor learning.
Perfluoralkylated Salophen-Based Transition Metal Complexes for Flexible Electronic and Optoelectronic
Applications
John Donald Becker*
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Haoran Sun
With expanding integration of technology into our everyday activities the medium of these interactions;
computers, cell phones, and now watches, are increasingly focused on mobility and ergonomics. Traditional rigid
electronics are being replaced with novel flexible electronics to this end. Although flexible electronics are currently
used in multiple industries, they still suffer from poor environmental stability and low efficiency compared to
traditional rigid electronics. Current research in this area focuses on creation of new electronic materials to
overcome these obstacles. We believe that perfluoroalkylated salophen-based complexes (SBCs) are a promising
candidate for use in electronic materials. SBCs are particularly advantageous as they are easily synthesized from
condensation of diamine and aldehyde ligands and that functionalization of these ligands provides facile methods
to fine-tune both the structural and electronic properties of the complex. In addition both the diamine and
aldehyde ligand can be functionalized with molecular linkers used to create multi-metallic salen complexes,
making SBCs highly versatile.
46
Inter-tissue telomere length and the implications of extended sample handling
Casey Finnicum
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gareth Davies
Objective: Telomere length has been of great interest due to the possibility of utilizing this genomic region as a
biomarker for the cellular aging process. Traditionally, measurements of relative telomere length (RTL) have been
obtained from blood derived DNA sample. Current sampling and measurement protocols present challenges due
to the invasiveness of intravenous blood draws for the generation of mean RTL. Buccal cells are commonly
sampled for DNA isolation and thus may present a non-invasive alternative for determination of RTL. It was
hypothesized that the TL of buccal and blood derived DNA will be significantly associated and could therefore be
used for future TL measurement studies. Methods: RTL measurements were performed on both blood and buccal
derived DNA samples as well as also compared to a previous blood RTL measurement for the same individual.
Telomere measurement was performed using qPCR and was normalized to the single copy 36B4 gene relative to
a reference DNA sample (K562). Using OpenMx, correlation analyses and structural equation modeling was
performed. The MZ and DZ twin pair correlations were calculated for all three data sets analyzed. Results: The
RTL analysis performed confirmed the association between blood and buccal derived telomere lengths (r = 0.36,
p = 0.001 and r = 0.39, p = 0.001). These data were also analyzed with sex and age as covariates which confirmed
a difference in RTL between sexes, as well as a decline in telomere age over time. The twin pair correlations were
used in estimating the heritability of RTL (Blood-1 = 71%, Blood-2 = 44%, Buccal = 54%). Conclusions: This
experiment demonstrates the plausibility of utilizing buccal derived DNA in place of the blood derived DNA. The
discrepancies in blood telomere measurement are believed to be due to increased sample handling.
Session 3g: 11:00 am-11:50 am - Muenster University Center Pit Lounge
Assassins Selections
Cast of Assassins
Theatre
Jenny Lind: A Historical, Dramatic, and Musical Representation is a lecture-recital detailing the history of the
nineteenth century female operatic and classical performer, Jenny Lind, told in first person as a dramatic
monologue. Lind, known as "The Swedish Nightingale" on account of her vocal purity and agility, was significant
to musical history because of her successful, transcontinental career in an age when women were unlikely to have
careers outside of the home, much less international acclaim. By ingeniously taking advantage of the American
capitalist system, Lind's American concert tour manager, P.T. Barnum, assisted Lind in transcending beyond the
economic patronage system that existed in Europe during the period. In this way, Lind's career promoted the
development of independent professionalism for female musicians in the United States. Lind's success served as
a theoretical bridge between European and American socioeconomic circles, which helped pave the way for
nineteenth-century American women to become prominent figures in the world of performing arts by turning
their own musical gifts into professional careers. The monologue includes biographical information about Lind's
life and career as well as a performance of some musical pieces that Lind herself performed during her time on
the operatic and concert stage. Additional elements of the presentation will include several visual aids to enhance
the narrative.
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Session 4a: 1:00 pm-1:50 pm - Muenster University Center 211/211A
Overexpression of ubiquilin-1 alleviates spatial learning and memory deficits in an Alzheimer's disease mouse
model
Oludotun Olusegun Adegoke,
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Hongming Wang
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is well known to be one of the most common neurodegenerative disease affecting the
brain and is also one of the leading cause of dementia. Ubiquilin-1 (Ubqln1) is a ubiquitin-like protein and has
been implicated in AD. However, whether Ubqln1 is linked to learning and memory and how it modulates AD
development have not been determined. In order to understand the function of Ubqln1 in vivo, we generated
Ubqln1 transgenic (Tg) mice that globally overexpress mouse Ubqln1 in various tissues. We crossed the Ubqln1 Tg
mice with the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 AD mouse to generate the Ubqln1/AD double Tg mice, after which we then
performed behavioral and neuropathological studies and compared with their AD littermates. Our results have
revealed that at 6-8 months of age, Ubqln1/AD mice showed better spatial learning and memory than the AD mice
in a radial arm water maze test, string test, and the Rota rod test suggesting that overexpression of Ubqln1
attenuates spatial learning and memory deficits in the AD mice. Neuropathological characterization of the
Ubqln1/AD double Tg mice are still underway.
Neurovascular Relationship in Depression
Neeraj Kumar Tiwari
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Samuel Sathyanesan
The brain weighs only 2% of our body weight, and yet consumes 20% of body oxygen consumption and 25% of
total body glucose consumption. It is, therefore, dependent on uninterrupted blood flow through blood vessels.
Vasculature in the brain is highly branched to reach all levels and structures. The studies in the field of
neurovascular biology have shown that nerves and vessels have many things in common. There are certain
molecules produced in the neurovasculature which has both neuronal and vascular function. Contrary to old
dogma, new neurons are born in the adult brain. Of particular interest is the birth of new neurons (neurogenesis)
in the hippocampus. 40% of new cells born in the hippocampus are endothelial cells and new neurons are born
very close to the capillaries. This suggests that a cell signaling relationship exists between neurons and capillaries,
and is mediated by certain soluble factors that influence neuronal production. Recent research has shown that
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients treated with antidepressants show increased capillary density in the
dentate gyrus (DG) region of the hippocampus. Furthermore, there is an increase in neurons in the same region,
and could be responsible for the behavioral effects of antidepressants.
Effect of adolescent social defeat on working memory performance in early adulthood.
Matthew Weber
Repeated teenage bullying has been associated with increased prevalence of neuropsychiatric disorders, which
may partially arise from stress-induced perturbations to the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) dopamine (DA)
system. Cognitive processes such as working memory are reliant on peak mPFC DA activity, and impairments to
working memory are observed in bullying-associated neuropsychiatric disorders. Using a rat model of teenage
bullying, we have shown that exposure to repeated social defeat in adolescence causes a decrease in adult mPFC
DA activity along with impaired working memory performance on the Delayed Alternating T-Maze and Delayed
Win-Shift tasks. However, it is not known if this working memory impairment is the direct result of the
corresponding decrease in mPFC DA activity. Therefore, we hypothesized that increasing mPFC DA activity in
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previously defeated rats will restore working memory performance in adulthood. To test this, we applied acute
restraint stress (20 min) immediately prior to a Novel Object Recognition (NOR) task of working memory, as this
stressor is known to cause a rapid increase in mPFC DA release. As expected, adolescent defeat exposure alone
impaired performance in the NOR paradigm compared to controls. However, acute restraint stress was able to
restore working memory in previously defeated rats, suggesting that brief stress was able to increase mPFC DA
activity to levels comparable to normal controls. Future experiments will confirm this possible relationship by
pharmacologically increasing mPFC DA activity in defeated rats using DA receptor agonists prior to memory
testing. Determining if impaired working memory is a direct result of decreased adult mPFC DA activity caused by
adolescent defeat may allow for the development of more effective therapeutics aimed to treat specific symptoms
associated with mental illnesses associated with teenage bullying.
Session 4b: 1:00 pm-1:50 pm - Muenster University Center 216
Precision Grip Force Control Deficits Following Middle-Cerebral Artery (MCA) Stroke
Bikash KC
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lee Baugh
A successful object manipulation involves multiple cortical regions, making it a complex neurological task.
However, this complexity is not reflected in the assessment tools used in clinics for the diagnosis and the
rehabilitation of motor disabilities often seen in stroke patients. Current bedside diagnostics examine limited
aspects of motor functions and are not sensitive enough to identify subtle changes seen in day-to-day object lifting
tasks. To address this issue, this study examines muscular force production in which participants applied isometric
force to an experimental manipulandum to match a target force graphically presented on a computer screen.
Chronic middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke participants having upper-extremity impairment and age-matched
controls were enrolled in the study. Deficits in fine-graded distal muscle forces were quantified in terms of
precision (a larger standard deviation in the produced force during the hold phase) and performance (the number
of corrective adjustments that occurred before the target load force was reached and the time taken to reach the
target). On detailed analysis of the force matching task, the MCA stroke group demonstrated dissociable errors in
the task examined. Most stroke participants showed deficits in muscular force production not only in the apparent
affected side but also in the non-affected side. This work demonstrates that force control deficits seen in MCA
stroke participants can be discovered using customized tasks. We believe that only with this patient-specific
knowledge, can guided rehabilitative regimens best identify, target, and treat the range of skilled object
manipulation deficits following MCA stroke.
Stress in the brain: examining the neurobiological mechanisms that link stress to reward value & drug relapse
Brenna Bray
Neuroscience
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gina Forster
Stress plays an important role in motivating goal-oriented behavior; however, stress can also facilitate drug use,
and can induce relapse during drug withdrawal. For example, chronic exposure to amphetamine stimulants
(including Adderall, methamphetamine, and ecstasy) can result in hypersensitivity to stress during withdrawal
that users attribute to relapse. Stress exposure induces release of steroid hormones into the bloodstream
(cortisol in humans, corticosterone in rodents); these hormones can act as neurotransmitters in the brain to
alter brain chemistry. In laboratory rats, exposure to a psychological stressor (restraint) immediately increases
the stress hormone corticosterone in the plasma and in a region of the brain that mediates stress responses, the
ventral hippocampus. The ventral hippocampus projects to another brain region, the nucleus accumbens,
where the neurotransmitter dopamine is associated with reward value. Increasing corticosterone in the ventral
hippocampus can increase dopamine in the nucleus accumbens. This suggests a link by which stress exposure
can increase reward value to promote goal-oriented behavior in the face of stress. Dopamine in the nucleus
49
accumbens is also associated with drug behaviors (in humans and rats) and can reinstate drug-taking in rats.
Rats in amphetamine withdrawal show enhanced corticosterone stress responses in the ventral hippocampus
(relative to drug-naive controls) and increasing corticosterone in the ventral hippocampus also increases
accumbal dopamine during amphetamine withdrawal. Therefore, corticosterone in the ventral hippocampus
may be a mechanism by which stress can increase drug reward value and reinstate drug behaviors during
amphetamine withdrawal. Together, this suggests the neural corticosterone system plays an important role in
driving positive stress coping mechanisms in healthy conditions, with dysregulation of this system enhancing
drug value and potentiating relapse during amphetamine withdrawal. Funded by NIH Grant R01 DA019921.
Characterization of a new lymphoid organs-specific endothelial cell subset expressing VISTA protein
Maryam Salehi
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Alexei Savinov
Peripheral tolerance is regulated through a network of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory ligands and receptors.
Targeting these molecules or their pathways has been promising in clinic in both oncoimmunology and
autoimmunity. V-set domain Ig Suppressor of T cell Activation (VISTA) is a recently identified co-inhibitory member
of the B7 family. VISTA suppresses T cell immune responses; interference with its function results in susceptibility
to autoimmunity. Investigating expression pattern of VISTA in various cell types and tissues in mice, we identified
a sub-population of endothelial cells present only within secondary lymphoid organs, which express high levels of
VISTA; a finding not previously reported. Characterization of this subset revealed that VISTA-expressing
endothelial cells (VEECs) are predominantly of lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) origin, however, only less than
half of LECs in lymphoid organs are VEECs. As LECs have been shown to induce tolerance via co-inhibitory
molecules such as PD-L1, we studied the role of VEECs in regard to immune tolerance. FACS-sorted VEECs cells
from secondary lymphoid organs of NOD and DBA mice were evaluated for the expression levels of various
peripheral tissue antigens associated with immune tolerance. Our results show that in NOD VEECs the AIRE
transcription factor, as well as some diabetic autoimmunity-associated peripheral tissue antigens of pancreatic
origin (insulin-2 and Rrad) are significantly up-regulated. To further investigate the regulatory role of VEECs, we
applied co-culture assays and evaluated the effects of VISTA expression by endothelial cells on T cell function.
Session 4c: 1:00 pm-1:50 pm - Muenster University Center 216A
Musical Instruments as Interartistic Artifacts: Two Musical Sculptures From the Italian Renaissance
Esteban Marino
Music
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Margaret Banks
Musical instruments are often defined as decorative arts, which is a modern conception that isolates them from
other artistic forms like the well-known Fine Arts. In fact, instruments are understood by the general public as
crafts and the creator as an artisan. However, musical artifacts are an embodiment of different art forms and like
any other they are a product of their time. The artistic revolution of the Renaissance united all art forms in order
to follow a set of ideas about human kind and their relationship with nature and the universe. As there were no
clear distinctions between art and science until the eighteenth century, musical instruments were actually, in
essence, no different than sculptures, architecture and painting and the maker was an artist too. The Italian
citterns housed in the Victoria & Albert (392-1871) and National Music Museum (NMM 3386) would be recurrent
historical examples used in this talk to explain how early musical instruments are interartistic unities created under
a human ideal.
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Performance Practice of Baroque Music with the Modern Violin
Anna Marie Sobotka
Music
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Eunho Kim
I am one of the winners of The First Bank and Trust Scholarship. One of the requirements to this award is to
present the same presentation we gave for that award at IdeaFest. My presentation is about the history of the
violin and how to understand performance practice from different musical periods. Besides speaking about my
research, I also give example on the violin as well as play a short piece to conclude the presentation.
Understanding the Humours: Analysis of "The Duchess of Malfi"
Madeline Nicole Schmitt
Theatre
During the Early Modern England period, society did not have an advanced idea of medicine, so people were
accustomed to the idea of the four humours, as proposed by Hippocrates, as a way of deciding what was wrong
with a person. The four humours are sanguine, phlegmatic, choleric, and melancholic. Each humour is appointed
a bodily substance and organ that is causing the substance; the doctors of the time would then cure a patient
based on such knowledge. This idea was not only applied to medicine, however; playwrights of the Early Modern
England period also used these ideas to help explain and enhance character's personalities. While audiences
during the time period the play was performed understood the humours, modern audiences do not fully
understand the idea. It is important for today's directors to embrace this idea when performing the play because
the idea of the four humours is no longer common knowledge. This means the director has to portray these
characteristics to an audience that does not fully understand the concept. In John Webster's play, "The Duchess
of Malfi," he uses the idea of the four humours to help the audience understand the personalities of the different
characters and current directors and actors need to consider these ideas when performing the play for present
audiences.
Session 4d: 1:00 pm-1:50 pm - Muenster University Center CDC
Beneficial effect of β2 AR agonist on insulin signaling in skeletal muscle and underlying mechanisms
Hongbo Gao
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Yi-Fan Li
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become a prevalent health issue in US, with about 29.1 million people diagnosed
diabetes in 2012 and the number is predicted to grow to 30.3 million by 2030. T2D is characterized as insulin
resistance in peripheral tissues, especially skeletal muscles, which account for about 80% of total insulin-induced
glucose disposal. β2 adrenergic receptors (β2 AR) mediate sympathetic nervous control of skeletal muscles.
However, the role of β2 AR in regulation of insulin signaling in skeletal muscle is still elusive, though single
treatments with β2 AR agonists have been reported to enhance glucose uptake in in vitro and in vitro studies. Our
study is to evaluate the potential effect of β2 AR stimulation on insulin-induced glucose uptake and insulin
signaling transduction in skeletal muscles.
We used selective β2 AR agonist formoterol (Fm) in in vivo and in
vitro models, and evaluated glucose uptake and major proteins of insulin signaling pathways in skeletal muscles
and muscle cell lines. In vivo, pretreatment of mice with Fm significantly blunted hyperglycemic response from 15
min to 60 min in glucose tolerance test, and prolonged hypoglycemic response at 120 min in insulin tolerance test.
Protein level of Insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) was significantly enhanced in external digital longus isolated
from Fm-treated animals. Consistently, Fm treatment increased glucose uptake and IRS1 protein level in muscle
cell line C2C12. The inhibition of Gαi markedly blocked Fm-induced increase in glucose uptake and elevation of
IRS1 in C2C12. Those data suggested that β2 AR agonist improved insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscles via the
51
upregulation of IRS1. Moreover, our study also exhibited that β2 AR agonist reduced the serine phosphorylation
of IRS1 at 612 site that is reported to abolish insulin signaling via interfering the interaction between IRS1 and
phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase. The activation of β2 AR reduced the baseline of phosphorylation of extracellular
signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), which was the major kinase to phosphorylate IRS1 at Ser612. Our data
indicated that the activation of β2 AR agonist not only upregulated IRS1 protein levels but also manipulated the
phosphorylation of IRS1 to facilitate insulin signaling in skeletal muscles.
Association between a membrane-tethered kinase and A-type lamins at the nuclear envelope
Birendra KC
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kyle Roux
The nuclear envelope (NE) is a highly specialized extension of the endoplasmic reticulum whose roles include
separation of the nucleoplasmic and cytoplasmic compartments, organization of peripheral heterochromatin and
nuclear positioning by mechanical linkages to the cytoskeleton. A key component of the NE is the nuclear lamina,
a nucleoskeletal scaffold formed by type-V intermediate filaments called lamins. Mutations in the constituents of
NE, including the lamins, are associated with a myriad of rare human diseases. To increase our understanding of
the role of the NE in cell function and the underlying mechanisms of NE-associated diseases we seek to identify
the constituency and function of NE proteins. To this end we generated a method called BioID that generates a
history of protein associations in living cells with the use of a promiscuous biotin ligase. We applied BioID to laminA (LaA) and identified vaccinia-related kinase-2 (VRK2) as a candidate protein associated with LaA. We determined
that the transmembrane VRK2A, but not the nucleoplasmic VRK2B, is targeted to the NE in a LMNA-dependent
mechanism. Only VRK2A and not VRK2B physically interact with A-type, but not B-type, lamins. Ongoing studies
are investigating the role of VRK2A at the NE in cell cycle regulation and potential roles in NE-associated diseases.
Acquisition of desiccation tolerance in the moss Physcomitrella patens by intrinsic mechanisms.
Kumudu Nadeeka Rathnayake*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Karen Koster
Vegetative desiccation tolerance is an important property in most bryophytes but has been lost in most
angiosperms during evolution. Desiccation tolerance allows organisms to survive the loss of almost all cellular
water and resume growth upon rehydration. We study desiccation tolerance in the moss Physcomitrella patens.
Studies have shown that application of the plant stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA) can induce desiccation
tolerance in Physcomitrella, but acquisition of desiccation tolerance without addition of exogenous hormone is
not well-studied in this moss. Slow drying, as occurs in its natural habitat, may induce tolerance in mature
Physcomitrella; however, intrinsic mechanisms triggered by slow drying are not known, nor is it known whether
younger, protonemal moss also survives slow drying. My goals were to determine whether prolonged drying times
could induce desiccation tolerance in protonemata and to establish a system for continued study of the
mechanisms of desiccation tolerance in this moss. Moss protonemata were slowly dehydrated in chambers at 91%
relative humidity (RH) for 5-10 d prior to transfer to 32% RH. During slow drying at 91% RH, the moss lost 90% of
its fresh weight and equilibrated at 0.62 ± 0.02 g H2O/gDW. Additional desiccation at 32% RH dropped the water
content to 0.18 ± 0.02 g H2O/gDW. After 3 d at 32% RH, the moss was rehydrated, and chlorophyll fluorescence
and survival were assessed. Results show that moss held for fewer than 9 d at 91% RH did not survive additional
desiccation, while moss kept for 9-10 d at 91% RH acquired desiccation tolerance and then survived desiccation
at 32% RH. Visual estimates of re-growth of protomemata corroborate increased chlorophyll fluorescence ratios
that indicate repair of photosynthetic machinery. These results show that desiccation tolerance can be induced
by slow, stepwise drying of young moss without exogenous ABA treatment.
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Session 5a: 2:00 pm-2:50 pm - Muenster University Center 211/211A
Automatic Annotation of Bioinformatics Tools using the NCBO Annotator Service.
Menno VanDiermen
Biomedical Engineering
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Etienne Gnimpieba
As the field of Bioinformatics has matured, databases, analytic tools, workflows, tutorials, workshops,
webinars, learnflows, and other bioinformatics resources have become available to scientists. For many
researchers, their bioinformatics requirements involve primarily a need to understand the availability and
functionality of public bioinformatics software, including databases, analytic tools, algorithms, workflows, and
other resources, in order to mine, extract and effectively analyze their data [1]. But, the growing number of
Bioinformatics resources available on the web has made it daunting for researchers to use these resources
effectively [2]. The aim of our BioQuery Tool project is to address some of the Bioinformatics educational
challenges by creating a comprehensive, annotated bioinformatics analytic tool library. Our Bioinformatics Tools
Library (BTL) has over 12000 analytic tools (software) in its database. To enable accurate searching of these tools,
it is important to have meaningful annotations describing the tools and their function. For this reason, we have
developed TONER (Tools Name Entity Resolution), an automated annotator using the National Center for
Biomedical Ontology's (NCBO) online annotation service to provide suggested concept annotations from selected
domain ontologies (e.g. the TopHat tool description is tagged with the "mapping" string concept from the EDAM
ontology to indicate that TopHat is a tool for sequence mapping operation)[3]. TONER represents tool metadata
in JSON form, which is collected and then preprocessed to isolate values, and if necessary split to provide a set of
coherent strings that are not arbitrarily split such that meaningful cohesive information is preserved. These strings
are passed to the NCBO Annotator service, which provides a list of concept annotations for each string. The list of
all suggested annotations for each JSON document is then merged into a final set of annotations. We grouped
them by meaningful phrase to which they were annotated, and stored them together with the associated concept
URI for each annotation as well as its match type. The TONER annotator is the first automatic process for
bioinformatics tools retrieval relevance improvement. We compare this system with existing tool repositories
using a manual annotation process such as ELIXIR[4]. Our system shows a very good improvement on query result
relevancy by connecting ontology terms to user query terms. For example, a user query containing "mapper" will
retrieve the TopHat tool on BTL using TONER but yield no result on the ELIXIR system. Reference 1. Williams,
J.M., et al., OpenHelix: bioinformatics education outside of a different box. Briefings in Bioinformatics, 2010. 11(6):
p. 598-609. 2. Lathe, W., et al., Genomic data resources: challenges and promises. Nature Education, 2008. 1(3).
3. Jonquet, Clement, et al. NCBO Annotator: Semantic Annotation of Biomedical Data. Poster presented at the 8th
International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC); 2009. 4. Ison J., et al. (43 authors). Tools and data services
registry: a community effort to document bioinformatics resources. Nucleic Acids Res., 2016. 44(D1): D38-47.
An Esophageal Tissue Engineering Scaffold for Esophageal Atresia in Neonates
Jordan Kuiper*
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Ying Deng
Abstract: This research is aimed at curing esophageal atresia in infants by creating a biodegradable polymeric
scaffold that would allow for regeneration of the organ. Esophageal atresia is the incorrect, or lack of, formation
in the development of the esophagus in neonates. Roughly 1 in 2500 babies will suffer from this, and even if
corrective surgery is successful the child will continue to suffer a wide variety of problems throughout their life.
The biodegradable scaffold in question is made from poly (glycerol sebacate), an approved polymer by the FDA
for use in the human body. The pre-polymer and polymer makeup were tested in varying temperatures, time,
differing hydrophobic surfaces, and concentrations before one was finally developed that would fit the
biomechanical properties of the targeted tissue. This polymer went through several stages to create a tubular
structure that would be used in in vivo animal studies. The objective at the current time was to create a natural
53
tubular structure the polymer would that would be inserted by the surgeon performing the animal tests. Through
collaborative efforts a scaffold that has the biomechanical properties matching the esophageal tissue, proper
tensile properties, elastic capabilities, and has shown to be biologically active has been made. Animal studies have
begun.
Effects of Fluorinated Monolayer Surface Modification on Conducting Substrates: Electron Transfer Kinetics &
Implication on Improving Organic Electronics Performance
Siyu Mao*
Chemistry
Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) have been attracted particular interest during recent years which could be
used in low-cost, flexible electronic devices. The performance of OFETs not only can be influenced by molecular
nature of the semiconductor material but more frequently affected by the properties of the interface. Among all
kinds of interfaces, the interface of electrode/organic layer and dielectric/organic layer are the two most
important ones. Many approaches for optimizing the electrode/organic layer interface have been applied to
improve OFETs performance which include tailoring the metal surface with self-assembled monolayer (SAM).By
growing SAM on the metal surface it can effectively modulate the work function of metal electrodes as well as
improve the contact compatibility.
In our research, our main purpose is to combine two main properties of
surface modification material such as slow electron transfer rate which makes it a suitable content for being gate
insulating material as well as its influence on conformational change of semiconductor layer with different
terminating groups. In our study, we compare electron transfer rate of different silane couplers by using
electrochemistry study and characterize surface properties of modified conducting substrates by Scanning
Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and contact angle measurement. If
our project is completed we will have better understanding of how surface modification with perfluoroalkylated
silane coupler with different chain length could affect the electron transfer speed and its influence on
perfluoroalkylated organic crystal formation which can be further applied to fabricate high mobility organic field
effect transistor (OFET). Further investigation are being studied such as using alternative redox system,
modification of conducting substrates by using different silane couplers and applying similar methods to different
types of conducting substrates.
Session 5b: 2:00 pm-2:50 pm - Muenster University Center 216
Investigating role of N-linked glycosylation and Ig-like domain of VTCN1 molecule
Christina Amatya
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Alexei Savinov
V-set Domain-Containing T Cell Activation Inhibitor 1 (VTCN1), also known as B7-H4, is a negative co-stimulatory
ligand that inhibits T cell activation/proliferation. We have previously shown that VTCN1 signaling is impaired in
context of type I diabetes in both mouse models and human patients. Moreover, aberrant VTCN1 expression has
been associated with certain ovarian and renal carcinomas. These findings highlight the importance of VTCN1 as
a potential therapeutic target. At present, neither the receptor, nor the mechanism of VTCN1 action are known.
Structurally, VCTN1 is a 283 a. a.-long heavily glycosylated protein with a very short intracellular tail followed by
a type 1 hydrophobic transmembrane domain and a long extracellular part consisting of Ig-like V-set (IgV) and Iglike C-set (IgC) domains. We show that both IgV and IgC VTCN1 domains retain inhibitory activities, even though
IgV domain mostly constrains T cell proliferation, while IgC domain predominantly inhibits cytokine production.
Additionally, we reveal that glycosylation of VTCN1 is crucial for its membrane trafficking, folding and negative costimulatory functions.
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The Role of IncF in Chlamydial Inclusion Expansion
Macy Olson
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lisa Rucks, Scot Ouellette
Chlamydia trachomatis (Ctr) is the leading bacterial cause of sexually transmitted infections in the United States.
Survival of this developmentally regulated, obligate intracellular pathogen is dependent on establishment of a
membrane-bound inclusion inside the host cell. Chlamydial type III secreted proteins called Incs, having one large
hydrophobic region encoding two or more transmembrane motifs, likely contribute to the physical structure or
organization of host-pathogen interactions. We hypothesize C. trachomatis uses temporal control of Inc
expression to facilitate inclusion growth and development. Here, Incs expressed early help organize and establish
the inclusion, whereas Incs expressed mid-cycle help acquire nutrients. The specific function of most Incs is
unknown. Consequently, the early Inc, IncF, may be involved in organization of the inclusion membrane and over
expression of IncF may inhibit normal inclusion formation. The specific aim of this project is to determine if
increased IncF expression affects inclusion growth and development. To test our hypothesis, we created a Ctr
serovar L2 strain transformed with a plasmid (pL2) containing an IncF–APEX2 fusion protein under an inducible
promoter. Protein expression is induced by anhydrotetracycline (aTc) and APEX2 is an ascorbate peroxidase
proximity labeling system where, by the addition of exogenous biotin-phenol, interacting proteins are tagged with
biotin. In preliminary experiments with high IncF expression, Ctr had a reduced inclusion diameter, even at 48
hours post infection (hpi). To continue, we will infect cells with either IncF-APEX2 Ctr transformants or wild-type
L2, add variable amounts of aTc, and measure the effect of IncF-APEX2 expression on inclusion size at 10, 24, and
36 hpi. Overexpression of IncF results in smaller inclusions, which supports our hypothesis that C. trachomatis
uses temporal control of Incs in the organization of the inclusion membrane. These studies are important for
understanding molecular mechanisms involved in establishment of this intracellular pathogenic niche.
Wolbachia presence and distribution within aquatic insects of the Missouri River and associated drainages
Eric Sazama*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jeff Wesner
Wolbachia is a genus of intracellular bacteria found within the reproductive systems of insects that manipulates
those systems of their hosts. While current estimates of Wolbachia prevalence suggest that it infects 40-66% of
all insects, these estimates are based almost entirely on terrestrial insects. No systematic survey of Wolbachia in
aquatic insects has been performed. Thus it is unclear whether these estimates apply to major aquatic insect taxa.
Data lacking on several prominent insect taxa poses a problem for models that predict the global estimate of
Wolbachia. To estimate Wolbachia infection frequency among aquatic insect species, we tested 251 insects from
the Missouri River plus 9 tributaries. We combined this with a beta binomial model that corrects for potential
false negatives. Results indicate that up to >70% of aquatic insect species carry Wolbachia including members of
Odonata, Trichoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera and Plecoptera. Trichoptera represents a newly identified infection.
These results indicate that Wolbachia is widespread among aquatic insects. This is particularly important given
the ongoing introductions of Wolbachia infected mosquitoes as a biocontrol method in aquatic ecosystems.
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Session 5c: 2:00 pm-2:50 pm - Muenster University Center 216A
Effects of fish feeding traits on benthic and emerging insects
Jerry Warmbold*
Biology
Fish can have a strong top down effect on aquatic insects which can influence aquatic and terrestrial insectivores
through benthic consumption and reduction in survival to winged adults. Understanding how aquatic predators
indirectly impact neighboring ecosystems is increasingly important as species extinctions and introductions rise.
We tested the hypothesis that bottom feeding fish would decrease benthic invertebrates to a greater degree than
water column feeders, but both would have a similar reduction on insect emergence. Experiments were
conducted in a Missouri River backwater near Wynot, Nebraska using 16 large enclosures containing either a
fishless control, Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus), or both in a
substitutive design. Preliminary results suggest that when compared to fishless controls, benthic insect biomass
decreased in buffalo treatments, increased in sunfish treatments, and were similar when both species were
present. In contrast, insect emergence did not differ between fish treatments. These results suggest that changes
in benthic biomass are strongly linked to fish feeding traits, unlike emergence, which is similarly affected by fish
regardless of foraging traits.
Sparisoma viride (Stoplight Parrotfish): Do Initial or Terminal Phase Fish Eat More?
Alexa Kruse
Biology
Parrotfishes are well-known for eating algae that is steadily choking out corals as oceans warm, but rates of algae
consumption vary among species and over the lifespan of an individual. The purpose of this research was to
quantify whether initial or terminal phase colored Sparisoma viride (stoplight parrotfish) spend more time feeding.
The initial phase in S. viride includes fish ranging from 13-31cm who have red, brown, and white scales are always
mature females or non-breeding males. The terminal phase of S. viride include fish ranging from 31-46cm with
mostly emerald green coloration interspersed with pink and yellow markings are always breeding males. I sampled
S. viride within four 30 fin kick squared quadrats and recorded bites taken per minute for each fish in my sample
area. I found that initial phase S. viride eat more than terminal phase S. viride (p=3.15589E-8). This phenomena
could be due to female initial phase S. viride’s need to allocate resources to reproductive pressures. Further
studies that record whether the initial phase S. viride being observed are male or female are necessary to
determine whether reproductive stressors are a contributing factor when looking at how much S. viride eat.
Effects of selenium and pesticides on aquatic-terrestrial resource subsidies in the Prairie Potholes
Brianna Henry*
Biology
Metamorphosis of aquatic insects is a primary link between aquatic and terrestrial systems, but it's a process that
can be disrupted by the presence of chemical stressors in freshwater systems. Pesticides and fertilizers are
important categories of chemical stressors relevant to the Prairie Pothole wetlands of the Great Plains. These
stressors can lead to bioaccumulation and transfer of toxins to terrestrial systems, declines in aquatic-terrestrial
subsidies, or changes to the structure of adult aquatic insect communities. To understand the full impact of
agricultural activities surrounding these wetlands, we take an approach that examines larval and emerging insects,
water quality and physical characteristics of wetlands in the field. Our field sites experience chemical stress
created by agricultural tile drainage, surface runoff, or were non-impacted controls. Through these parameters
we found that June emergence in tile drain sites was 80% lower than those influenced by surface runoff, and 70%
56
lower than control sites. Our results indicate shifts in the availability of aquatic-terrestrial resource subsidies in
this system associated with agricultural runoff and more strongly impacted by tile drainage than by surface runoff.
Session 5d: 2:00 pm-2:50 pm - Muenster University Center CDC
The Effects of Active Contraction and Passive Stretching on Myofascial Trigger Points in the Shoulder Girdle
Rhianna Hoffman, Kristin Steffen, Matthew Hodgden
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kory Zimney, Richard Ekstrom
Background: Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) can be a pain source for patients seeking relief through physical
therapy. Invasive and non-invasive therapies have attempted to reduce MTrPs but their effectiveness is
inconclusive. This study's purpose was to determine short-term effects of active contraction and passive stretching
on MTrPs in the shoulder girdle. Methods: Thirty University of South Dakota participants were randomly assigned
into active or passive intervention groups; assessment of outcome measurements were blinded to treatment
interventions. The active group performed manually resisted concentric and eccentric contractions while the
passive group received prolonged stretching. PPT and NRS values were taken pre-intervention, post-intervention,
and at two day follow-up by one researcher and recorded by a second. Additionally, NRS scores were recorded
during the intervention. A third researcher performed the intervention. Data Analysis: Independent t-test
determined between group differences in demographics, NRS, and PPT scores. Repeated measures ANOVA
measured within group and muscle differences in PPT while Wilcoxon signed ranks measured NRS. Alpha was set
at .05. Results: No significant difference between groups was found. Within group significance was found in the
following: NRS pre-intervention to follow-up in passive (p= .042, r=.24) and active (p=.003, r= .17) groups and
between post-intervention and follow-up in the active group (p= .011, r=.13), passive group improved PPT preintervention to post-intervention (p=.012, r=.10) but decreased at follow-up (p= .002, r=.10), active group
decreased PPT post-intervention to follow-up (p=.008, r=.09), active right upper trapezius PPT values decreased
pre-intervention (p=.002) and post-intervention (p=.000) to follow-up, passive left upper trapezius PPT increased
pre-intervention to post-intervention (p=.012). Conclusion: Results of this study are mixed. Passive stretching or
active contraction intervention showed significant decreases in NRS, indicating patients felt better at postintervention and follow-up; however, PPT significantly decreased, indicating MTrPs were more sensitive at postintervention and follow-up. Effect sizes were small.
The effectiveness of group-based training for protective stepping on dynamic balance in older adults: a pilot
study
Chelsey Michel, Christa Wolf, Mary Okine
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lisa Inglis, Becca Jordre
Background/Purpose: The protective stepping response needed to regain balance following a perturbation is
known to decline with age and contributes to a risk of falling. Balance training programs which utilize
perturbations have been shown to improve this response, but are not easily implemented due to the need for
one-on-one training with specialized, expensive equipment. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect
of group-based protective step training without external perturbations on anticipatory and reactive postural
control in community dwelling older adults. Methods: Participants (N=29) aged 55 and older (x=83.14, SD=7.00)
were recruited from a local independent living facility. Participants attended a protective stepping class twice
weekly for 12 weeks. This class targeted reactive strategies typically utilized to maintain postural control with
dynamic movement. Outcome measures included the Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest), Four
Stage Balance Test with accelerometry, and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale at initial
screening, 6 week assessment, and 12 week assessment. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare
scores for each outcome measure at each testing interval.
Results: Eighteen subjects participated in the
intervention and had complete data for analysis. Significant improvements were found on the total Mini-BESTest
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scores at 6 weeks (p=.046) and 12 weeks (p<.001). Mini-BESTest subscores for both anticipatory and reactive
postural control significantly improved between initial and 12 week assessments (p=.015, p= .001 respectively).
No significant changes were found for the ABC Scale or Four Stage Balance Test.
Conclusion: Twice weekly
group-based protective step training may be effective in improving both anticipatory and reactive balance in
seniors residing in an independent living setting.
Functional Ballistic Movements in Children with a History of Ponseti Correction of Talipes Equinovarus
Boni Slagerman, Renee Whetham, Mark Wilcox
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Patti Berg
Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to measure differences in ballistic movements in children with
a history of Ponseti correction for congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV; "clubfoot") against a control group. We
hypothesized that children with a history of Ponseti correction would differ from those without CTEV in measures
of ballistic movement success due to differences in body structures of the corrected foot/ankle and the demands
of ballistic tasks. Number of Subjects: The subject group comprised 18 children: 9 children with a history of CTEV
with Ponseti correction (CTEV-G) and 9 children matched for age and gender (CG). Seventy-two percent of subjects
were male; matched children did not differ in age (P=.774) but differed in BMI (P=.048; CTEV-G mean=20.2; CG
mean=16.25). The mean age of all children was 8.85 + 1.29 years. Materials/Methods: Children in the CTEV-G
were recruited through referral from an orthopedic physician trained in the Ponseti casting method. Control group
children were a sample of convenience. Tests administered were the Sergent jump test, standing broad jump, and
single and triple leg hop for distance. Dorsiflexion strength and passive foot and ankle joint range of motion (ROM)
measures were taken. Results: CTEV-G subjects demonstrated poorer ballistic performance than CG. However,
the standing broad jump was the only ballistic test to reveal a statistically significant (P=.047) between-group
difference. No significant correlations were found between ballistic test performance and passive foot or ankle
ROM. Conclusions: While children with CTEV show poorer jumping distances than matched control subjects,
these differences do not meet a level of statistical significance, except for the standing broad jump. Clinically,
Ponseti correction alters foot and ankle biomechanics successfully enough that an analysis of ballistic performance
does not differentiate children with a history of Ponseti treatment for CTEV from peers unaffected by the
congenital condition.
Poster Session 1:
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Muenster University Center
Poster 1
Connecting Increased Drug Seeking in Adulthood to Stress-Induced Disruptions in Adolescent Cortical
Dopamine Activity
Riley Paulsen†
Victims of teenage bullying show increased drug abuse in adulthood, long after the bullying experience. Substance
abuse is characterized by deficiencies in impulse control, suggesting impairment of the brain's prefrontal cortex
dopamine (DA) system, which undergoes critical maturation during adolescence. We have shown that male rats
exposed to a social defeat model display decreased medial prefrontal cortex dopamine (mPFC) function in
adulthood, along with heightened behavioral responses to amphetamine. However, it is unknown whether the
elevated drug seeking in adulthood is directly related to the mPFC DA reduction following adolescent bullying. In
this experiment, adolescent male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent bilateral mPFC cannula implantation surgeries
at postnatal day (P) 28, and received repeated daily bilateral infusions of either vehicle (aCSF) or the DA D2
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receptor agonist quinpirole (100 ng/μL in 0.3 μL) into the mPFC from P35 - 39. We showed previously that this
infusion regime results in adult mPFC DA hypofunction equivalent to that caused by adolescent social defeat,
presumably by preferentially activating D2 autoreceptors to inhibit DA release and synthesis. Once the subjects
reached early adulthood (P55 - 60), conditioned place preference (CPP) experiments were conducted to assess
drug cue seeking, with animals being conditioned with either saline or amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg ip). At P63, brain
tissue was collected by rapid decapitation and sectioned by cryostat at 300 μm. Consistent with our prediction,
this pharmacological treatment amplified preference for amphetamine-associated cues in early adulthood,
indicative of heightened drug seeking. Additionally, the mPFC DA content was reduced in the rats that received
intra-mPFC quinpirole infusions during adolescence. Combined, this suggests a direct link between mPFC
dopamine hypofunction caused by adolescent bullying and increased drug seeking in later life. Such information
could be instrumental for developing treatments to combat the emergence of substance abuse disorders following
adverse events in adolescence.
Poster 2
Rural Perception on Physician-Assisted Suicide
Casie Moody, Marsha Lynn Helgerson, Samantha Jasmine Hall, Cody Austin Wagner, Brynne Nicole Spargur,
Social Work
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Peter Kindle
Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is currently a greatly-debated topic in the United States, as well as other countries
around the globe. Assisted suicide presents many moral conflicts, both in physicians and among terminally ill
patients. In recent years, there have been a number of countries and states legalizing assisted suicide, with various
conditions. The Netherlands is one such example. Physicians in the Netherlands cannot euthanize or assist in the
suicide (EAS) of a patient whose request is based on being 'tired of living' (Rurup, et. al., 2005). Each state has
there own opinion on this topic. In Montana, it is legal but is decided via court ruling (State-By-State, 2015).
Judging by what we've read, even though it is more widely accepted, there is still a lot of conflict on whether it
should be accepted. Recently in California, there was a Law passed allowing PAS. California now joins four other
states - Montana, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon that allow PAS. The remaining 46 states consider PAS illegal
(2015). Death is a very controversial issue. According to a study by Parpa, et al., nurses are less likely to be
accepting of PAS. The study cited moral and religious beliefs as sources of these opinions (2010). A study done
about the opinions of physicians and psychiatrists found that in some cases the psychiatrists were more
conservative on the idea of assisted suicide. One theory was that psychiatrists didn't have as much experience
with people wanting/needing assisted suicide (Levy, et al. 2013). In this study, we explored what factors affect
rural Midwestern people's opinions of physician-assisted suicide. Factors we considered include age, sex,
ethnicity, religion, education, marital status, income, whether the person knew someone who has applied for PAS,
parents' income, parents' education, population of community, occupation or previous occupation, cultural
background, and relationship satisfaction.
Poster 3
Millennials' Online Privacy and Safety Habits
Shelby Huber‡
Contemporary Media & Journalism
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Teddi Joyce
This study explores on what level Millennials are aware of the big data collection and sharing processes used by
"free" online resources, whether or not Millennials think they are more aware of the process than they really are,
if the generation's awareness or education of the big data process affects its perception of Internet privacy and
digital advertisements, if Millennials prefer to be served more personalized advertisements or if they find them
to be an invasion of privacy, how Millennials' stated preferences compare to their behavior, if Millennials are
threatened by the lack of privacy and safety in both the physical and digital realms, and if their safety concerns
and practices vary between the physical and digital realms. In order to find answers to these questions, a literature
59
review, a content analysis, and an online survey were conducted. The content analysis was conducted with six
respondents in July of 2015 with the online survey following with 279 respondents. Upon analysis of the data
collected, it was found that that Millennials are not fully aware of the big data process or how big data collection
can lead to hyper-targeted, digital advertisements. However, when questioned, Millennials claim to be incredibly
tech-savvy and aware of the big data process. Because Millennials are not fully aware of the capabilities presented
by the big data process, they do not feel that hyper-targeted, digital advertisements are an invasion of privacy. In
some cases, Millennials did express concern for their privacy after being educated on the subject. Regardless of
their concern or claims of internet privacy knowledge, Millennials continue to share sensitive, personal
information with online companies. The imbalance between Millennials' claims and their behaviors creates a
"privacy paradox." When compared to the physical realm, Millennials' claims and behaviors also contradict each
other. However, the generation as a whole tends to be more reckless in the digital realm.
Poster 4
Euthanasia vs. Physician Assisted Suicide: Attitudes and Beliefs Toward Physician Assisted Suicide
Morgan Mahanke, Leah Johnson, Danielle Knight
Social Work
The topic of euthanasia has brought on much debate, especially since a couple states have begun viewing it as an
issue that should only be a patient's choice. Many individuals feel that ending one's life is the absolute worse case
scenario, however many patients facing life-threatening illnesses feel it is the only option. We will attempt to
discuss the differences in beliefs and attitudes based on demographics and the use of both the EAS scale and the
ATE scale.
Poster 5
Food Assistance: Rural Perspective Towards Formal and Informal Needs
Claire Taylor Wetzel, Sam Wade Walker, Shawna Christina Koch, Kaitlyn Emma Walters, Michael Andrew Noga
Social Work
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Peter Kindle, Deb Norris, Kathy LaPlante
In general, rural attitudes and perspectives have been greatly under-researched. This includes rural attitudes
towards formal and informal forms of food assistance. Although more research is needed on this specific topic,
research has been done on food assistance programs. The amount of informal assistance a family can receive
directly affects the food security and amount of formal assistance they seek (Lombe, Yu,& Nebbitt, 2009.).
Unconventional food assistance entities, for example, Meals on Wheels, food pantries, assistance from
family/friends, or soup kitchens, have long been commonplace in the United States (Lombe, Yu, & Nebbitt, 2009.).
Food pantries are becoming more utilized due to the poor economy, there is a large increase in the use of informal
services (Coleman-Jensen, 2012.). Even with this increase in service use, the perspective from rural individuals in
lacking research. This research will help show the prevalence of stigma associated with formal and informal food
assistance in rural communities. According to Lucia Kaiser and Virginia Chaidez, et. al, "[i]n 2012, 14.5% of US
households were food insecure, meaning they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all
household members (Kaiser & Chaidez, 2015.)." This is a growing problem, not only in urban settings, but also
increasingly in rural areas. Greenberg, Greenberg, and Mazza point out that 49 million Americans do not have
appropriate access to sufficient resources (Greenberg, Greenberg, & Mazza, 2010.). Kaiser and chaidez, et.al, also
point to the fact that food insecurity is at a greater level in homes that fall below the poverty level. Kaiser also
addresses the fact that, "prevalence of food insecurity also was higher than the US figure (14.5%) among
households that had income less than the federal poverty level (40%), had female heads and children (35.4%),
resided in the principal cities of metropolitan areas (16.9%), or resided in southern US (16%) (Kaiser & Chaidez,
2015.). SNAP benefits are an extremely prominent form of formal food assistance. According to J. Shannon, "SNAP
provided almost $72 billion in benefits per year to just over 44 million recipients (Shannon, 2014.). Currently there
is more than enough funding for this service, but at the alarming increase in food assistance needs, this may prove
60
to be a future issue. This information fails to address the percentage of food insecurity in the rural midwest. There
is a large gap in the literature as far as identifying specific stigmas of food assistance in the rural Midwest as well
as demographic factors related to variation in rural sentiments. Before a plan to remove the stigma placed upon
recipients of food assistance can be conceived, more information needs to be obtained about the attitudes of
citizens in the rural Midwest. This presentation will bring to light the rural attitudes towards informal and formal
food assistance in the Midwest, as well as a basic rural attitude towards the government.
Poster 6
Narcissistic traits and alcohol-related problems among college students
Logan Welker†
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Raluca Simons
Alcohol use among college students is a common serious health issue that poses many risks, including poor
academic performance and serious injury (Grimaldi, Napper & LaBrie, 2014). Substance use is comorbid with
several personality disorders, especially borderline (Few, et al., 2014) and antisocial (Brook, Jung, Rubenstone,
Brook & Finch, 2014). Associations have been found between narcissistic personality disorder and alcohol abuse
and dependence in an adult population (Stinson, et al., 2008). However, the relationship between narcissistic
personality traits and alcohol use and related problems has received less research attention. A study was
conducted to examine the relationship between narcissism and various alcohol-related variables. We
hypothesized that narcissism will be associated with problematic alcohol outcomes (i.e., greater consumption and
problems, poor problem recognition, positive problem evaluation, and thinking problems won't happen to them).
Though this study is still in the data collection phase, 500 undergraduate students from the University of South
Dakota are expected to be recruited by April 2016. The aforementioned variables were measured using the Five
Factor Narcissism Inventory (FFNI; Glover, Miller, Lynam, Crego, and Widiger, 2012), a 9-point anchored rating
scale (0 = no use, 8 = more than once a day) to assess substance use frequency (Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration, 2014), the Daily Drinking Questionnaire - Revised (DDQ-R; Dimeff, 1999), the
Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (YAACQ; Read, Kahler, Strong & Colder, 2006), a test to measure
the evaluations and expectancies toward alcohol-related problems (Gaher & Simons, 2007) and a ruler to assess
problem recognition (LaBrie, Quinlan, Schiffman & Earleywine, 2005). Bivariate associations will be examined for
the variables of interest and path model will test the associations between two types of narcissism and alcoholrelated problems, problem recognition, evaluation (good/bad), and how often one expects problems to happen
to them (likely/unlikely).
Poster 7
Effects of Social Media on Romantic Relationships in Urban vs Rural Areas
Kirsten Monaghan, Abbie Gottsche, Megan Kress, Ericka Niles, Yvon Minogue, Taylar Jenks
Social Work
The increasingly heavy use of social media may be influencing the development of romantic relationships. This
exploratory project collected a nonprobability convenience sample of respondents (N = 316) through an online
survey asking about social media usage, confidentiality, and respondent perceptions of how social media has
affected their romantic relationships. Data analysis will begin in March.
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Poster 8
Co-infection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Ranavirus in Amphibians from Northern Luzon,
Philippines.
Drew R. Davis*, Cameron D. Siler, Jacob L. Kerby
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jacob Kerby
Amphibians are one of the most threatened groups of organisms on earth, with reports suggesting that one-third
of the world’s species are at risk of extinction. Although factors contributing to this biodiversity crisis include
habitat loss, a major concern has been the emergence of infectious diseases, particularly Batrachochytrium
dendrobatidis (Bd) and ranaviruses, which are known to cause large amphibian die-offs. At the core of mitigating
negative effects these pathogens have on amphibian populations is a need for a comprehensive understanding of
their distribution and of what amphibian species are particularly susceptible to infection. While there has been
increasing interest in understanding the distribution of these pathogens in tropical Southeast Asia, there are still
large regions with limited information on the distribution of these pathogens. Here, we sampled both skin swabs
and tissue (liver) samples from multiple species of anurans from Aurora Province, Luzon Island, Philippines for
infection by both Bd and ranavirus. We report on pathogen prevalence and infection intensity as well as comment
on conservation priorities in this region.
Poster 9
Solar Hydrogen Production Using Metal Free Dye-Sensitized Mesoporous Photocatalysts
Thorn Dramstad‡
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Ranjit Koodali
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is an essential and common nutrient that can be used to modify surfaces of metal
oxides such as titanium dioxide and assist in photocatalytic reactions. The presence of two bidentate ligand groups
in ascorbic acid facilitates their robust binding to the surface of metal oxides. This can also lead to a shift in the
onset of absorption of titania from the Ultra-Violet range into the visible region, making it a successful and efficient
material for solar hydrogen production. Ascorbic acid, unlike other heavy metal based sensitizers, is cost-effective
and can lead toward an efficient hydrogen fuel economy. In this work, a mesoporous based photocatalyst
consisting of spatially isolated titania moieties were prepared and characterized. Ascorbic acid was adsorbed on
the surface of the mesoporous photocatalyst and the resulting material was characterized extensively by several
physico-chemical methods. In addition, water splitting studies were performed to determine the hydrogen
production abilities.
Poster 10
The Protective Role of Ubiquilin-1 in Ethanol-Induced Cytotoxicity
Lucas Van Ermen
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Hongmin Wang
Alcohol (ethanol) is one of the most frequent drugs of abuse in society. Ethanol is cytotoxic to all cells, and in
particular, neurons. Chronic ethanol abuse can lead to protein misfolding and pronounced neurodegeneration
within the brain. In order to protect against apoptosis, cells utilize several catabolic pathways, primarily the
ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy, to recycle misfolded proteins. Studies have shown a link
between neuroprotection via autophagy in response to ethanol cytotoxicity; however, little has been done to
confirm a neuroprotective link between the UPS and ethanol cytotoxicity. In order to find this link, we examined
a critical protein component of the UPS, ubiquilin-1. We developed in vitro and in vivo models to examine if
overexpressing ubiquilin-1 conferred a higher degree of neuroprotection in response to ethanol cytotoxicity. We
started by administering increasing concentrations of ethanol to cell cultures that overexpress ubiquilin-1 and a
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control set. Applying an MTT cell proliferation assay to the cultured cells, we were able to ascertain the UPS
response to ethanol cytotoxicity. In addition, we utilized transgenic mouse pups that overexpress ubiquilin-1, as
well as wild type mouse pups as a control. We injected ethanol in pups of each genotype and performed
histological stains on cortex cross sections in order to determine neuron viability. We also performed a western
blot analysis, tagging poly-ubiquitin chains, to further examine differences in the functionality of the ubiquitin
proteasome system between the wild-type and transgenic mice. Data retrieved from both the in vitro and in vivo
studies support the notion that overexpressing ubiquilin-1 confers a higher degree of neuroprotection, as well as
the idea that enhancing the UPS provides neuroprotection in response to ethanol induced cytotoxicity.
Poster 11
Predicted Champion of 2016 NCAA March Madness Tournament
Hunter C Rowe
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Mike Allgrunn
Using a multivariate regression model to attempt to predict the winner of the NCAA March Madness tournament
using data collected from 2011-2016. A few key variables that I will be using are regular season win/lose, margin
of victory, RPI rating (strength of schedule), tournament seed, and power rankings.
Poster 12
Eight Factor Model Analysis of Healthcare System in India
Kalyana Tejasvi Mondreti
Health Services Administration
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dr. Carole South-Winter
The poster is aimed at assessing the strengths and weakness of the healthcare delivery system of India by using
the Eight Factor Model proposed by Margie Lovett-Scott and Faith Prather in the book 'Global Health Systems'. It
provides a glimpse of the 8 factors: Introduction, historical, structural, financial, interventional, preventive,
resources and major health issues with regard to India. Key elements such as rural versus urban divide, caste
system, need for effective payment mechanism, growing pharmaceutical sector and other aspects have been
presented. India being a developing country is facing many challenges and has scope for greater performance by
means of good governance.
Poster 13
Practical Applications of Organic Chemistry & Nanoparticles in Everyday Dental Products
Austin Fritza‡
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Grigoriy Sereda
Sequential Material Deposition for Desensitization of Teeth Dental hypersensitivity is a problem that affects as
many as 1 in 8 people. Tooth pain results from the movement of fluid inside dental tubules, small canals inside
the dentine layer, which house nerve fibers. Our research is focused on developing new synthetic toothpastes and
other dentifrices that will help aid in dental tubule occlusion. In addition to the more traditional screening of
various types of nanoparticles, we have been exploring layer by layer (LBL) deposition and cross-linking based on
a recent provisional US patent of our research group. In LBL, positively and negatively charged materials are
applied in alternating sequences to tooth samples, and occlusion of dental tubules is evaluated under scanning
electron microscopy before and after treatment. To assess persistence of occlusion under the natural wear-andtear conditions, we employed sonication - not perfect but reproducible model. Based on our screening
experiments, we have identified most promising leads - alginate and chitosan (two biocompatible polymeric
electrolytes), and bentonite (natural clay microparticles that geometrically fit into dentin tubules). Alginate and
chitosan are known to cross-link with calcium and citrate respectively, or electrostatically interact with one
63
another. Currently, we are fine-tuning formulations of a new line of commercial products for clinical testing that
has been already arranged with a local private dentistry practice. In the future we will explore the potential of
alginate- and chitosan-based materials in the occluded dental tubules as scaffolds for the tooth remineralization
following the cutting-edge bioengineering strategy to regrow bones.
Poster 14
Influenza and NS1 Contribution to Superinfection Susceptibility
Sarah Zaiser
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Victor Huber
Influenza epidemics and pandemics lead to nearly 40,000 deaths per year, many of which are due to secondary
bacterial infections (superinfections). A/Puerto Rico/8/34/H1N1 (PR8), a mouse adapted influenza virus has been
shown to exhibit a lethal phenotype in mice when challenged with a superinfection. A/Swine/Texas/41992/98/H3N2 (TX98), however, exhibits a survival phenotype in mice when challenged with a superinfection. Dr.
Huber's lab has made discoveries indicating differences in PR8 and TX98 NS1 genes of influenza A virus directly
affect survival after superinfection. The NS1 protein can be divided into three identified domains: the RNA-binding
domain (RBD), the effector domain, and the C-Terminal domain. The PR8 NS gene contains a PDZ-binding motif
(PDZ-bm) at the end of the C-Terminal domain, but this PDZ-bm is truncated in the TX98 NS. My research is focused
on the effects a TX98-derived RBD has on survival when the remainder of the NS1 gene remains PR8-derived.
Poster 15
Attitudes Towards Transgender Rights
Savanna Larson, Kori Junkman, Karlie Warne, Brianna Haugen, Garrett Bankston
Social Work
Transgender stigmas happen not only in urban communities, but rural as well. The transgender population was
first introduced in urban settings, but are now appearing much more often in rural areas as well. The
stigmatization and attitudes that transgenders face have not been intensively researched. This presentation will
examine and compare the differences between rural and urban attitudes towards current transgender rights and
the future rights the transgender community is aspiring to receive, seek to understand why differences between
attitudes in the urban and rural community exist, and will also connect attitudes to stigmas that the transgender
community faces.
Poster 16
Stress Induced Modulation of Nociception by Endovanilloids
John Fanta
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Brian Burrell
Endovanilloids are lipid neurotransmitters such as 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide, (AEA) that are
synthesized on demand in the nervous system and activate TRPV receptors (TRPV=Transient Receptor Potential
Vanilloid). This activation of TRPV channels may contribute to the potential therapeutic role of cannabinoid based
therapies. Previous studies have shown that endovanilloids can inhibit nociceptive stimulus and potentiate nonnociceptive pain pathways in the invertebrate model system Hirudo verbana. This study examined whether stress
would have an analgesic effect to nociceptive stimuli vs. a sensitizing (allodynic) effect to non-nociceptive stimuli,
and if these effects would be dependent on 2-AG synthesis and TRPV channel activation. Hirudo responses to
nociceptive and non-nociceptive stimuli were tested prior to and following sixty minutes of exposure to a dry petri
dish as the stress condition. Tests were performed across three days. On the day stress was delivered, an increase
in response latency to thermal stimuli was observed with stress alone. This analgesic effect was reduced by
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inhibitors of the TRPV receptor (1-way ANOVA, p<0.05) (N=7-12). In response to the non-nociceptive stimulus,
both the TRPV inhibitor alone and stress+TRPV inhibitor exhibited an increase in sensitivity to non-nociceptive
stimuli, while no increase was observed in the stress-only group. Inhibition of 2-AG synthesis also appeared to
block the analgesic effects of stress although this data did not reach statistical significance (N=6-8). Responses to
the non-nociceptive stimulus was inconclusive. No effects of stress or drug treatment were observed on days 2
or 3 of the experiment. This study suggests that stress induced analgesia may occur through an
endovanilloid/TRPV dependent mechanism.
Poster 17
The Role of Sex Hormones on Fear Learning After a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Geralyn Palmer†
Up to 1.5 million US citizens suffer from a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) every year, and 23% go on to develop
a generalized anxiety disorder or post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). Currently, there are no treatments
addressing the neuronal changes after a mild TBI. However progesterone, a sex hormone and neurosteroid, has
been found to act neuroprotectively in the brain by reducing swelling and rehabilitating damaged neurons. This
study aimed to use progesterone after a mild TBI to reduce PTSD-like symptoms, while also analyzing sex
differences. On Day 1 of the experiment, lavage of female and control handling of male Sprague Dawley rats began
in order to track estrous cycle. On Day 8, rats underwent either a social defeat/mTBI surgery or sham surgery.
Three hours after surgery, rats received subcutaneous injections of either progesterone or vehicle, which
continued once daily for five following days. On Day 19 of the experiment, contextual fear conditioning testing
was used to test fear learning as a measure of PTSD-like symptoms. First, rats were placed in a box and received
a series of mild foot shocks. For three following days, rats were placed in the same box for eight minutes with no
mild foot shocks. Freezing time (total immobility) was measured as a degree of fear response. Results show
elevated levels of freezing time in male rats treated with progesterone, suggesting that progesterone enhanced
fear learning, regardless of mTBI. It appears females express less fear learning than males, which could be due to
the influence of estrogen on fear learning. Overall, preliminary results suggest progesterone is not an effective
treatment for mild TBIs in males in an environment where the development of PTSD is possible. Funded by USD
Sanford School of Medicine Research Grant to L.F. and G.F., and a USD CURCS grant to G.P.
Poster 18
Mirror Therapy for Stroke Rehabilitation
Rachel Noonan
Health Sciences
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Amy Nelson
This literature review of mirror therapy includes evidence from six articles retrieved from an exhaustive search of
the CINAHL, Academic Search Premier, Cochrane, and PubMed databases. This literature review was guided by
the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA's) Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) evidence-based
practice method. Many research studies show that mirror therapy is a promising intervention strategy that has
great potential in improving a patient's recovery after a stroke. Studies conducted on the effectiveness of mirror
therapy have found a positive influence on motor function, hemi-neglect, decrease in pain, and an increase in
functional independence. This therapy method is found to be most effective when administered in addition to
other conventional interventions to ensure that the patient is receiving a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
Further research needs to be done on mirror therapy such as dosage, intensity, and reimbursement issues in order
to better understand the benefits of this intervention method.
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Poster 19
Spanish Interpretation: My Experience as an Intern
Ashley McKeown
Modern Languages
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Laura Vidler
During the spring 2016 semester, I, along with two other USD students, worked as interpreters alongside Professor
Ramon Ortiz as he conducted interviews with Guatemalan citizens seeking asylum in the United States. I will
present research on the current status of Guatemala in order to explain why thousands of Guatemalan citizensespecially women and children--are fleeing their country. In addition I will talk about my experiences as a firsttime interpreter and discuss the role of interpreters in the current legal and medical fields based on personal
interviews with local professionals.
Poster 20
Tribal Participatory Research With Community-Based Psychological First Aid Training Of Trainers On The
Rosebud: A Follow-Up Study
Jessica Bordeaux-Rank*
Clinical Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Randal Quevillon
Due to an overwhelming need for mental health services on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation and the lack of
mental health clinicians available, this project seeks to ameliorate this health disparity by training an
interdisciplinary group of individuals in Community-Based Psychological First Aid (CBPFA). Through partnering
with Sinte Gleska University's Tiwahe Glu Kini Pi mental health program and its System of Care partners, this
project will not only train individuals in CBPFA but it will also prepare them to train others in their community.
This CBPFA Training of Trainers (ToT) will provide training participants with the necessary skill sets needed to assist
individuals experiencing traumatic stress due to traumatic events, as well as disasters. Training participants will
learn about active listening, how to be a helper, grief and bereavement, ethics, self-care, risk assessment, safety
planning, signs of traumatic stress (in adolescents, adults, special needs populations), and when to refer for
professional assistance. This culturally-responsive intervention lends itself to community capacity building in such
a way that it has potential to decrease the number of people seeking emergency mental health services. CBPFA
will not replace services of trained mental health clinicians, but it will strengthen the natural support systems (i.e.,
family, friends, co-workers, colleagues, neighbors, etc.) that individuals can turn to in a time of crisis. In turn,
training community members in CBPFA will help with community autonomy, capacity building, and sustainability
of this culturally-responsive intervention. The specific aims of this study focus on examining the effectiveness and
usefulness of the CBPFA ToT in order to develop a community-specific intervention that is not only effective but
sustainable for members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. This will be addressed by using the Tribal Participatory
Research (TPR) model (Fisher & Ball, 2003) and qualitative analysis. Data will be collected from focus groups and
individual interviews with the training participants following the CBPFA ToT at 30-, 60-, and 90-days. The focus
groups and individual interviews will explore participants' training experience, provide an opportunity for the
researchers to obtain feedback, and be an opportunity for participants to receive technical assistance and
consultation for planning and implementing their future training endeavors. The end results of this study will be
the development of a culturally-responsive CBPFA training curriculum and training materials that direct service
providers can use to train other service providers, community members, adolescents, and, eventually, the other
tribal nations comprising the Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires of the Great Sioux Nation) in CBPFA.
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Poster 21
An Emerging Decline: Fish reduce adult aquatic insect emergence from the Missouri River by >90%
Audra Van Ekeren
Biology
Fish are often top predators in freshwater ecosystems, but how they affect connections between freshwater and
terrestrial ecosystems is understudied. We tested the hypothesis that fish reduce insect emergence from a
Missouri River backwater using fish enclosure cages. We compared measured ambient emergence from the
backwater, which contained a mix of native and introduced species, including large Asian Carp. We also measured
emergence from enclosures containing a density gradient of juvenile sunfish and Smallmouth Buffalo. Average
cumulative insect emergence was 183 mg/m2 (dry mass) inside the cages, but there was no relationship between
fish density in the cages (1-27 fish per cage) and insect emergence or larval insects. Outside of the cages,
emergence was 14 mg/m2, a reduction of 93%. By comparison, larval insect densities were reduced by only 64%
outside the cages, which was significantly less than the reduction in emergence. Nearly 40% of freshwater fish in
North America are threatened or already extinct. Our results suggest that losses of those fish have effects that
not only extend to terrestrial ecosystems, but are potentially stronger than effects on prey in freshwater
ecosystems.
Poster 22
Strategies for Preventing, Curing, and Restoring Function to Patients Suffering from Decubitus Ulcers in US
Long-Term Care Facilities
Rachel Saltness, Erin Lynn Sternhagen
Health Sciences
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Katie Bloom
This poster performs an examination of interventions for decubitus ulcers in long-term care facilities in the United
States. As defined by Public Health 101: Health People-Healthy Populations, an intervention is defined as "the full
range of strategies designed to protect health and prevent disease, disability and death." Interventions include
preventative, curative efforts, and efforts to prevent complications and restore function (Riegelman and
Kirkwood, 2015). Bedsore prevention occurs through addressing chronic understaffing and lack of education in
healthcare workers like CNAs. Typical treatment of bedsores involves using specialized bandages and dressings,
and implementing specialized mattresses and cushions to reposition bedbound patients. More advanced stages
of pressure ulcers may require more drastic treatment methods. Proper care of decubitus ulcers is essential for
preventing future complications and restoring function. Decubitus ulcers are a serious public health issue, and
learning how to prevent and treat bedsores is of critical importance to effectively care for geriatric patients in
nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
Poster 23
Biobanking and Implications for American Indian Tribes: A Review
Tamee Livermont
Sanford Research/ Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jyoti Angal
With the expansion and creation of tribal research infrastructure, American Indian Tribes have revealed an interest
in bio-banking and the benefits, there-of. This project outlines what bio-banking is, and the potential benefits of
bio-banking for American Indian tribes.
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Poster 24
Construction of a Cryogenic System For the Characterization of Photomultiplier Tubes at Cryogenic
Temperatures
Mitchell Wagner‡
Physics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jing Liu
The search for physics beyond the standard model has led to many dark matter and neutrino experiments. These
experiments are designed around a wide array of particle detection technology, a popular type being cryogenic
scintillators. Scintillators produce light when struck by an incident particle, this light can be detected and
measured by a photomultiplier tube (PMT). Recent technological advancements have led to PMTs that can be
directly coupled to scintillators working at cryogenic temperature which leads to a more efficient light readout.
However, these new PMTs have not been tested in detail. In this project, a cryogenic system was built to
characterize those photomultiplier tubes. A test cryostat along, holding structure, various electronics, and circuit
boards were designed and constructed to be used at liquid nitrogen temperatures. Preliminary results were
obtained using the cryostat and it is ready for future measurements.
Poster 25
Overexpression of ubiquilin-1 diminishes the body weight gain in mice in a genetic background-dependent
manner
Fangfang Qiao
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Hongmin Wang
Ubiquilin-1 (Ubqln1), an ubiquitin-like protein comprising an N-terminal ubiquitin-like domain and a C-terminal
ubiquitin-associated domain, functions in mediating degradation of misfolded proteins. Although previous studies
have revealed that Ubqln1 is related to numerous (patho)physiological conditions, its function has never been
determined in mouse model. To better understand its function in vivo, our lab generated transgenic (Tg) mice
with global overexpression (OE) of mouse Ubqln1 in diverse tissues. Based on our observation that Tg mice show
a genetic background-dependent decrease of body weight gain compared to their wild-type (Wt) littermates, we
hypothesize that OE of Ubqln1 modulates the body weight gain in mice. To further confirm our finding, body
weight was measured monthly. Tg mice showed significant reduction of body weight gain as early as one month
of age and sustained until 18 months. Further, organs and visceral fat were collected and measured and the data
indicated that Tg mice had higher ratios of brain, liver, heart, lung, spleen, and visceral fat to body weight. To
define whether the light body weight was associated with energy intake and/or expenditure, food intake,
metabolic rate were evaluated. The results showed that the Tg mice ate less food at specific ages than their Wt
littermates and that O2 consumption during the day and night and CO2 production during the night of Tg mice
were elevated. Moreover, some metabolic studies were conducted. Tg mice had similar blood glucose level to Wt
mice, but displayed significantly reduced plasma leptin and insulin levels. OE of Ubqln leads to the genetic
background-dependent decrease of body weight gain, which is due to both the reduced energy input and
increased energy expenditure, suggesting that Ubqln may be a potential therapeutic target for obesity.
Poster 26
Occupational Therapy: Collaboration of School-Based and Outpatient Services in Pediatrics
Amy Nicole Weichler
Health Sciences
In the field of Occupational Therapy, the idea of the collaboration of school-based and outpatient therapy in the
pediatric setting has been a recent research topic specifically within the ages of 0-3 years old. An organization, the
Educational Service Unit (ESU), in Nebraska does not allow this combination of therapy services because they
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don't perceive the benefits or significance of the impact on this age group in medically-based services. Research
has shown, since children in this age group are a significant portion of the population today, therapists are wanting
to start therapy sessions sooner with those who are susceptible to developmental and cognitive disorders
prenatally and after birth. The Critically Appraised Topic (CAT) was utilized to format research on this topic from
the American Occupational Therapy Association. Databases that were used to incorporate research into the CAT
included the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and ProQuest. Therapists have found ways to
integrate sensory, motor, play, environmental, and behavioral techniques for children who show early signs of
development impairment in both therapeutic settings, but unfortunately, without the alliance of the two.
Literature suggests children within this age group should receive these extra therapy services to promote their
growth and development to be able to achieve daily and life accomplishments.
Poster 27
Survey of Attitudes and Behavior Towards Vaping at the University of South Dakota
Kelsey Brand, Katie Anderson, Collette Bowman, Josh Hayes, Harrison Smith
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Cindy Struckman-Johnson
Vaping, defined as inhaling and exhaling the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device (e.g.
hookah pen/device), is very controversial. The use of vaporizers has increased greatly in the last few years in the
United States and worldwide. In 2011, only 1.5 percent of U.S. high schoolers reported they used electronic
cigarettes. By 2014, 13.4 percent of high schoolers were using electronic cigarettes. Here at the University of South
Dakota, personal vaporizers have grown in popularity within the last few years. In response to the surge in vaping
popularity, the University of South Dakota banned vaping from all campus housing in early September of 2015. In
mid-September, a research group of USD undergraduate psychology majors came together to study the general
knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of students regarding vaping. Some of our questions included: Do people
know what vaping is? What are their opinions about vaping? What areas on campus and in the surrounding
community is it acceptable to vape? We asked students about their personal use of vaping and reasons why they
do or do not vape. Questions were also asked to find if vaping correlated with other drugs like alcohol, tobacco,
and marijuana. Finally, we looked to see if vaping was related to depression and stress. The preliminary results of
our online, anonymous SONA survey will be presented at IdeaFest.
Poster 28
Understanding of Hand Sanitizers, Parabens and Azo Dyes: A Survey of Students' Knowledge Based in
Scientific Research
Elena Tsakakis
Sustainability
The ability to instantly share and modify information has defined the college experience. Scientists have recently
evolved into a role as communicators in order to spread information reflecting the current knowledge in the
scientific community. In an effort to understand the influence of college students' major on their awareness
regarding hand sanitizers, parabens and azo dyes, a survey was conducted asking the students about their overall
knowledge of the compounds and their awareness about human health and environmental effects of the
compounds. I found that there were several relationships between students' majors and their understandings of
these compounds. Overall, students studying biology and sustainability were more aware of the effects of hand
sanitizer on human health and the environment as opposed to students in other fields. There was a consistent
lack of knowledge across all majors regarding parabens and azo dyes, due to a variety of possible factors addressed
in this project. This project consists of synthesized information about each of these topics, expected
understanding, and exploration of options to increase knowledge of these topics. In order to reduce
misconceptions and increase overall knowledge among undergraduate students, a unified effort needs to be made
by both students and educators to teach students how to become scientifically literate in the digital age.
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Poster 29
Centrality of Traumatic Experiences and Maladaptive Personality Development
Brandon Lee Gray*
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Sara Lowmaster
Researchers have reported conflicting results regarding the relationship between traumatic event exposure and
personality change (Boals, Southard-Dobbs, & Blumenthal, 2015; Fossati, Madeddu, & Maffei, 1999). One
potential reason for these conflicts is failure to consider the centrality of the event to one's identity. Previous
research suggests that perceiving an event to be central to one's sense of identity is associated with a range of
emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms (Bernsten & Rubin, 2006). However, the influence of viewing major
life stressors as central to one's identity on the development of maladaptive personality traits has not been
examined. Therefore, the current study will examine the personal centrality of a traumatic experience as a
potential moderator of the relationship between traumatic stress exposure and maladaptive personality
characteristics. Participants will complete measures of traumatic event exposure, personal centrality of traumatic
experiences, and maladaptive personality traits. We hypothesize that event centrality will moderate the
relationship between traumatic event exposure and maladaptive personality traits. Results will be discussed in
terms of their theoretical and clinical implications.
Poster 30
Options for Non-Pharmaceutical Treatment of ADHD
Sara Lund
Health Sciences
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Musheera Anis
This research paper focuses on non pharmaceutical treatment options for children and adults with ADHD and
how they can best be implemented. ADHD is a common disorder and the average non compliance rates for adults
and children on medications range up to 87%. The methodology used in this paper is research of scholarly peer
reviewed articles and medical websites. My results found that there are many different options including diets,
neuro therapy, yoga, and many more. It is not a "one size fits all" kind of solution, different treatments will work
for different people and individuals may need a trial of different methods before one is successful. This paper
helps compile research that is not well known so that teachers, parents, and individuals can start to know more
options they have available to them.
Poster 31
Understanding the impact of personal factors, learning environment, and culture on student success: A study
of international and American students
Emily Dykstra
Counseling and Educational in Pscyhology
Arguably, increasing student success is one of the main goals of teachers of any age group, particularly in higher
education. one factor which has been well established as a contributor to academic success is motivation. Over
the past 20 years much has been researched on American student motivation for higher education, however the
population of international students, which continues to grow exponentially, remains largely unstudied in terms
of motivation. This study sought to establish a holistic picture of higher education students' academic motivation,
both of American and international students. As such this study examined student motivation from four wellestablished theories, self-determination, social-cognitive, expectancy-value, and attribution. Results evidenced a
difference between American students' motivation when compared to international student motivation.
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Poster 32
Say What? Say When? Examining Rates of Positive Reinforcement in Romantic Relationships
Lisa Baer*
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Randy Quevillon
Regardless of if individuals are cohabitating, married, or in a committed relationship, the general conclusion tends
to be that couples will face times of disagreement or distress. An aspect that may help couples to improve the
quality of their relationship may involve rates of reinforcement. Providing positive rates of reinforcement may
increase the likelihood of positive behavior changes within a relationship. However, research does not currently
suggest which type of reinforcement may help an individual's relationship, or how reinforcements differ or
interact in boyfriend/girlfriend, cohabitating, or married relationships. Therefore, the current study addresses
several gaps in the literature by examining relationship quality in boyfriend/girlfriend, cohabitating, and married
relationships in reference to several different rates of reinforcement (fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, and
variable interval). Participants were asked basic demographic questions and asked to rank two sets of four
statements relating to rates of reinforcement. There was an additional in-person interview for applicants and their
significant others who met screening criteria. It was hypothesized that participants would prefer variable-ratio in
comparison to the other types of reinforcement. Results and implications will be discussed at IdeaFest.
Poster 33
Expanding the Records of Holton Trombone Production: Primary Research with Holton Factory Personnel
Byron Pillow*
National Music Museum
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Deborah Reeves
Starting in the nineteenth century, the musical instrument industry began to rapidly shift from a network of
individual craftsmen to a vast web of firms and corporations. As companies grow in size, the identities, knowledge,
and history of the discrete people involved in the manufacturing of musical instruments are increasingly
overshadowed by brand-name recognition. Finding and preserving the first-hand experiences of these individuals
is a key component in faithfully creating the historical record of the instrument industry. One such corporation is
that of Frank Holton & Co., a company founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of world-class trombones and trombone
accessories. Although founder Frank Holton passed away in 1942, the company name lives on to this day as part
of multi-national conglomerate. In 2008, the Holton factory in Elkhorn, WI, was permanently disabled after 90
years of continuous operation. The vast majority of the records and artifacts from the factory were systematically
destroyed, and the personnel-some who worked there for nearly fifty years-were laid off. The National Music
Museum (NMM) was able to acquire limited archives, prototype instruments, and personnel records from the
factory, but they were only able to preserve a small fraction of the company's total cumulative history. The
majority of the information pertaining to what was happening at the Holton factory, when it happened, and why
it happened, remains locked in the memories of the former employees. Larry Ramirez began working at Holton in
the 1960s as a brass instrument tester. Eventually he attained the position of head brass instrument designer,
overseeing all brass instrument production under the Holton namesake. Through conducting interviews with Mr.
Ramirez that explore varying facets of the Holton company's operations and output, this research aims to expand
and indefinitely preserve the company's historical record in the NMM's permanent archives.
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Poster 34
Monoaminergic Responses to Acute Stress Exposure in Sexually Dimorphic Species: Stalk-Eyed Fly, Teleopsis
dalmanni
Michael Buchanan
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kenneth Renner
Adaptive stress responses to environmental conditions increase the fitness of animals and are phylogenetically
conserved mechanisms. The neurotransmitters octopamine (OA; or norepinephrine analog for vertebrates),
dopamine (DA), and serotonin (5-HT) are phylogenetically conserved monoamines, and these monoamines have
been shown to influence behavior in both vertebrate and invertebrate systems, including stress response.
Additionally, sexually dimorphic responses to stress have been documented in vertebrates. However, there has
been little exploration into the usefulness of an invertebrate model to study this dichotomy of the sexes.
Preliminary studies of the role of 5-HT in stress response, specifically restraint and temperature stress, of the
sexually dimorphic stalk-eyed fly, Teleopsis dalmanni, suggested it as a possible invertebrate model. From these
studies, we constructed a restraint test to investigate further implications of 5-HT, as well as OA and DA, in
dimorphic stress responses in invertebrates. We placed stalk-eyed flies dorsally on flypaper, securing their wings,
abdomen, and legs. The flies were placed in treatment groups (duration of time spent on flypaper), and brains
for the flies were analyzed with High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and compared to basal
monoamine levels in whole brain samples. Unlike previous studies, our results suggested there is no significant
effect of sex or stress on brain 5-HT concentration. Interestingly, DA concentrations in male fly brains were
significantly higher than values obtained in females, but lacked a significant stress effect. However, our results
show that female OA brain concentrations were markedly elevated after 10 min of stress relative other time points
and with respect to OA concentrations found in males. These results indicate a sex difference in OA regulation for
stress responses is present in invertebrate systems and suggests stalk-eyed flies possess a sexually dimorphic
stress response. Further investigating the simplified invertebrate nervous system could provide insight to
phylogenetically conserved mechanisms.
Poster 35
The Role of Distress Tolerance in the Relationship between Cognitive Schemas and Alcohol Use and Problems
Among College Students
Rebecca Sistad
Psychology
This study examined the role of distress tolerance in the relationship between early maladaptive schemas
(Abandonment, Defectiveness/Shame, and Insufficient Self Control) and alcohol outcomes within a sample of
college students. Prior literature has designated maladaptive schemas as risk factors for alcohol use and problems
among young adults; however the role of distress tolerance has not been examined within this relationship. The
current study hypothesized two competing models for the role of distress tolerance in the relationship between
maladaptive schemas and alcohol use and problems. Specifically, we hypothesized that distress tolerance would
mediate, or explain, the relationship between maladaptive schemas and alcohol use and problems. In other words,
individuals who hold the maladaptive schemas of Abandonment, Shame and Insufficient Self Control will have
difficulties tolerating negative affect (i.e., high distress intolerance), and, as a result, will be more likely to drink
more or experience alcohol-related problems. We also hypothesized a competing moderation model for distress
tolerance. Namely, we hypothesized that the relationship between cognitive schemas and alcohol outcomes will
be stronger for distress intolerant individuals than for individuals who tolerate distress well. Sample size included
385 participants ages 18 - 25 who reported experiencing alcohol-related problems in the past 90 days. Distress
tolerance was a significant mediator for schemas Abandonment, Defectiveness/Shame, and Insufficient Self
Control. Distress tolerance was also a significant moderator in the relationship between Defectiveness/Shame and
alcohol-related problems. The findings of this research provide additional insight to the body of literature
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regarding maladaptive schemas, distress tolerance, and the etiology of alcohol use and problems among college
students. Identifying the role of distress tolerance on the relationship of maladaptive schemas and alcohol use in
a large sample of college students will allow for an earlier identification of risk factors (i.e., one's capacity to
tolerate emotional distress or not) that contribute to problematic behaviors, and suggest potential intervention
strategies.
Poster 36
Effect of Surface Texture on Macrophage Behavior to Biomaterials
Jordan Anderson*
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gopinath Mani
The metallic biomaterials such as 316L stainless steel (SS) and cobalt chromium (CoCr) alloys are extensively
used for a variety of cardiovascular, orthopedic, dental, and neural biomedical implants and devices. These
metals have either smooth or rough surfaces depending on the intended application. There is little information
known regarding the immune response to these alloy surfaces. This research is focused on the interaction of
macrophages with various textured 316L SS and CoCr biomaterial surfaces. The various SS and CoCr textured
alloys were created by either mechanically polishing (smooth) or sandblasting the surfaces with glass
(microrough-1) and Al2O3 (microrough-2). The characterizations of the alloy specimens using SEM, OSP, and
contact angle goniometry showed the metals developed in this study each had unique surface morphology,
topography, and wettability. The macrophage interactions with the alloy specimens were studied by
investigating their adhesion, activation, cytokine and nitric oxide (NO) secretion, and foreign body giant cell
(FBGC) formation. The CoCr specimens showed a higher amount of macrophages adhered on to their surfaces
compared to the SS specimens. By day-2, the level of macrophage activation was greatest on the smooth and SS
surfaces. Also, the pro-inflammatory cytokines increased on the smooth surfaces from day-1 to day-2 whereas
these cytokines decreased from day-1 to day-2 on the microrough surfaces. The SS specimens showed slightly
higher amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines than their corresponding CoCr specimen on days-1 and 2. The
microrough-1 surfaces showed the highest anti-inflammatory IL-10 secretion on day-2. Also, the smooth and SS
surfaces displayed higher NO levels than the microrough and CoCr surfaces on day-2. The FBGCs were seen
highest on the smooth and SS surfaces on days-14 and 21. Thus, this study demonstrated a more favorable
immune response when CoCr microrough surfaces were used.
Poster 37
Management and Use of Military Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Eric Gregory John Roberts, Andrew Wayne Beck, Ellie Jo Mausbach
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jan Berkhout
Objective: In this study we investigated the operational readiness of Army unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
operators, current training program, and validity of organizational structure. Background: Small UAS (SUAS),
unlike larger UAS systems, are not managed or employed by the Aviation branch within the Army. They are
controlled directly by Infantry unit personnel. The differences in organizational culture and training methods
between the Infantry and Aviation may pose challenges for the safe utilization of SUAS. Method: In a voluntary
survey, UAS operator and their supervisor respondents were asked questions regarding their current training
program, individual flight experience, knowledge of training requirements, and opinions on the efficacy of the
current management of the SUAS program. Results: The majority of SUAS operators were not meeting flight
currency requirements that are mandated by Army regulation. An alarming amount of respondents believed that
SUAS would be more effectively and safely employed if SUAS was its own military occupational specialty (MOS)
and was managed by Aviation branch instead of being an additional duty overseen by the Infantry. Conclusion:
Most SUAS operators cannot maintain regulatory flight currency. With current training practices proficiency is not
achievable. Organizational training plan changes must be made to ensure that SUAS operators can meet currency
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requirements to prevent future mishaps including fatal accidents. Significant organizational changes will likely be
necessary to address the growing proliferation of systems in the airspace. Application: This study helps us to
understand the occupational demands of unmanned aircraft systems warrant consideration of a SUAS MOS, which
is branched in aviation. Commercial drone users should learn from the military's trials to examine the
establishment of organizational structure that focuses on safety and compliance to rigorous training standards for
dedicated SUAS operators.
Poster 38
Becoming a Mathematics Mentor in the Middle School: A Case Study
Heather A. Bleecker
Curriculum & Instruction
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kristine Reed
The goal in the mathematics classroom has shifted with the inclusion of the Common Core State Standards from
procedural understanding to conceptual understanding of mathematics concepts through rigorous and relevant
performance tasks. This semester-long study investigates the results of a mentoring pilot model for early career
mathematics educators at the middle school level. This model is meant to help mathematics educators to make
this transition in their classroom. This study follows the collaboration between a USD graduate student (mentor)
and an 8th grade math teacher (mentee). An observational form was created to gather qualitative data on both
mentor and mentee reflections in two class periods of 8th grade mathematics. This form was used to begin
multiple conversations between mentor and mentee on the strengths and weaknesses of the observed lessons
focusing on classroom management, instructional techniques, student engagement, and mathematical
understanding of both the math teacher and the students. Performance tasks were developed collaboratively by
mentor and mentee. These performance tasks were then presented in the classroom by the mentee (observed
by mentor when available) and self-reflections were made on the strengths and weaknesses of the task. This pilot
model will be evaluated through reading and reflection of research on the mentoring process and the
observational growth of the teacher (mentee).
Poster 39
Living with a roommate that can eat you: the predator-prey relationship between the endangered Hine's
emerald dragonfly and the devil crayfish
Patricia Dombrowski*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Daniel Soluk
The federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly (Somatochlora hineana) has a complex life cycle, with larval
stages lasting between 4 and 5 years. Larvae live in small streamlet and flowage systems fed by groundwater.
These systems are dry or frozen during parts of the year. In order to survive drying and freezing in winter S. hineana
larvae seek refuge in the complex burrow system of the devil crayfish, Cambarus diogenes. This crayfish is a known
predator of S. hineana larvae, making the burrow system a potentially lethal refuge. We hypothesize that S.
hineana larvae avoid predation either because 1) they avoid visual and olfactory detection from the crayfish by
capturing detrital and fecal material in their numerous hair-like setae, 2) they actively avoid the crayfish predator
by exploiting the complex structure of the burrow system, or 3) the presence of other prey items, like snails and
amphipods, within the burrow reduces the likelihood of predation. Observation of the interactions and behaviors
is normally impossible in underground burrows, however, we use a clear burrowing medium (Gelzan®) that allows
observation of HED larvae and crayfish interactions within a naturally constructed burrow-system. The unusual
relationship between S. hineana larvae and a predator that provides a crucial refuge for surviving extreme
environmental conditions, is a example of the complexity of species interactions within natural communities and
the need for basic science to be closely integrated with management decisions about the conservation of biotic
resources.
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Poster 40
Epilepsy Awareness in Higher Education
Amelia Rae Heiden
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Beth Boyd
Epilepsy is a spectrum of neurological disorders that cause seizures. The importance of Epilepsy awareness in
higher education is due to college students being a high risk population to experience or witness a seizure episode.
According to the national epilepsy foundation, 1 in 10 will experience a seizure at some point in their life; and 1 in
26 will develop epilepsy at some point in their life. College students are considered a high risk population for either
experiencing or witnessing a seizure episode because many experiences and behaviors that are associated with
the idea of the college experience can result potentially in either witnessing a peer or classmate have a seizure or
the individual themselves experiences a seizure. Seizures are associated with a significant number of the mental
health disorders that are commonly seen with the college population. There are over 27 different types and
syndromes that make up the epilepsy spectrum, the spectrum also ranges from mild to severe as well as visible
and invisible. This is a quantitative research project and focuses on national statistics for epilepsy as well as postsecondary policies and laws both past and present. There is a need for faculty and administration staff to be aware
of the risks and dangers with epilepsy and a need for some type of knowledge of epilepsy so proper action can be
taken if they happen to be called in on a situation that involves an individual that had a seizure episode as well as
faculty knowing what to do when and if a someone happens to have a seizure episode and what steps need to be
taken to ensure that individuals safety. There is a need for anyone in higher education to know that epilepsy does
not discriminate.
Poster 41
Investigating the genomic basis of phenotypic transitions using a novel integrative analysis of anatomy
ontology and Protein-Protein interaction networks
Pasan Fernando*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Erliang Zeng
Finding potential candidate genes associated with certain phenotypes is an important question in biology.
Experimental methods like gene-knockout and ectopic expressions are used for this purpose, but with extensive
time and resource consumption. To overcome the limitations, computational methods are used as a screening
step to select potential gene candidates for further analysis. Protein-Protein interaction (PPI) networks are widely
used to predict genes associated with certain phenotypes based on their interactions with annotated genes.
However, the main problem with PPI network-based prediction is the high false positive rate. Therefore, improving
the the accuracy of network-based candidate gene prediction has emerged as an important research topic. Here,
I propose an integrative framework, which combines anatomy ontology data with corresponding PPI network
data, to increase the accuracy of network-based candidate gene predictions. Anatomy ontologies are used to
represent hierarchical relationships of anatomical entities of organisms in a computer readable form. To my
knowledge, they have not been used for network-based candidate gene predictions before. I intend to use
semantic similarity between anatomy ontology terms to create a gene network based entirely on anatomy
ontology, and then integrate it with the corresponding PPI network to generate an integrative network. Finally, I
will evaluate the accuracy of candidate gene prediction using the integrative network. Known genes sets
corresponding to phenotypes associated with aquatic to terrestrial vertebrate transition will be used as a gold
standard. Further, I plan to use this system to study modular genotypic changes associated with important
evolutionary transitions like fin to limb transition. This is expected to reveal potential candidate genes and the
changes in gene interactions that led those transitions.
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Poster 42
An Evaluation of The Women's Program: A Longitudinal Study with Sorority Women
Jill M. Morris*, Christine Tirabassi, Megan Ellison
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jerry Jacobs & Randy Quevillon
Researchers report that each year of college 24% to 31.5% of female students experience sexual assault
(Humphrey & White, 2000; Turchik et al., 2007). Sexual assault is associated with several negative health
outcomes including posttraumatic stress, alcohol abuse, and sexually transmitted infections (Katman et al.,
2005; Kilpatrick et al., 2007; Turchik, 2012). Universities are required to provide college students with education
and resources that create a safe community. Unfortunately, 41% of colleges have not investigated sexual
assault on their campus for the past five years (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012). Furthermore,
the majority of sexual assault prevention programs implemented on college campus have been developed with
minimal theoretical support and conducted without empirical evaluations (Morrison et al., 2004). It is profitable
to further investigate prevention programs that target the unique needs of sorority women. The Women's
Program is a bystander intervention model that provides education about sexual assault and high-risk situations,
builds empathy for survivors, and offers strategies to help community members play an active role in reducing
sexual assault (Foubert, 2010). The purpose of the current study is to demonstrate that participating in The
Women's Program has a positive effect on women's beliefs about sexual assault. It is hypothesized that at
follow-up there will be a decrease in rape myth acceptance and sexual assault and an increase in bystander selfefficacy, bystander behavior, and sexual assertiveness. Participants included 142 women recruited from four
sorority chapters at a small Midwestern university. Data analysis is currently underway. Researchers will
conduct an analysis of covariance with Time (i.e., baseline and two-week follow-up; baseline and seven-week
follow-up) as the within subject factors and History of Sexual Victimization as a covariate. Results of the study
will have important implications for sexual assault prevention programs on college campuses.
Poster 43
Preschool Motivation
Elizabeth Schley*, Emily Dykstra*, Haoyu Lin, Sara Ellington, Sam Heibult, Anthony Zeliadt, Samantha Riley
Counseling & Psychology in Education
Research on motivation in preschool is a little understood subject. Currently the research in this area is severely
lacking. Motivation in older school age children has been documented but not motivation in preschool. Our
research is intended to help identify the age at which motivation beliefs begin to form. We will be presenting our
preliminary findings from a pilot study examining methods for measuring motivation in preschool children. We
intend to expand our study into a longer term pre- and post-test study in order to identify changes in motivation
over the course of an academic school year.
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Poster 44
CMA-targeting peptide technology as a novel therapeutic approach to combat disease-causing mutant
proteins
Filip Radev†
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Scott Pattison
CMA-targeting peptide technology as a novel therapeutic approach to combat disease-causing mutant proteins.
Mutations cause of a large number of diseases. One such mutation is the αB-crystallin R120G mutant protein
(CryABR120G) which causes a desmin-related cardiomyopathy and leads to heart failure. A novel technology using
small peptides as drugs, called Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy (CMA)-targeting peptides, are able to knockdown
levels of endogenous proteins in vitro and in vivo. CMA-targeting peptide technology employs peptides specifically
designed to bind to a target protein and send it for degradation by Chaperone-Mediated Autophagy. Our goal is
to find a sequence that effectively binds to and targets the mutant CryABR120G protein for degradation and then to
test the CMA-targeting peptide for its ability to deplete the disease-causing CryABR120G protein. We hypothesize
that the CMA-targeting peptides can bind to mutant CryABR120G protein and reduce its pathology. In our first
experiment we designed three CMA-targeting peptides: 1) predicted to bind to αB-crystallin (CryAB), 2) without a
protein (CryAB) binding domain (negative control) and 3) devoid of a Tat domain, necessary to cross cellular
membranes. Increasing doses of each peptide were added to the media of cultured rat neonatal cardiomyocytes.
After 24 hours the media was collected for cytotoxicity assays and the cells were lysed to immunoblot protein and
peptide levels. Our results show that only those peptides containing a Tat domain were found in cardiomyocyte
lysates. Unfortunately, our first computer predicted peptide sequence designed to bind CryAB failed knockdown
the endogenous CryAB protein. We are now using phage display technology to derive better CryAB/CryABR120Gbinding peptide sequences that will be tested for their ability to knockdown mutant CryABR120G protein and
prevent desmin-related cardiomyopathy. In conclusion, if successful, these data will serve as proof of principle
that CMA-targeting peptide technology can be used to bind and remove different mutant and disease-causing
proteins.
Poster 45
Suicide Prevention In Mood Disorders In Comparison Between America Verses Japan
Jessica Kathryn Soleta
Health Sciences
The current work examines suicide prevalence in people diagnosed with mood disorders in the USA and Japan. In
addition, preventative measures are examined. With suicide ranked as tenth leading cause of death, discussion of
suicide prevention in mood disorders is critical. This topic is important to study because of the strong prevalence
that it has on the entire world, especially Japan and the United States. A literature review of peer reviewed
scholarly articles that were published focusing on this topic in Japan and the United States is the methodology
used in this work. Some important results include the finding of a prevalence rate in the United States of over
40,000 deaths per year. In one study, a strong correlation between depression in the elderly and suicide was
suggested. This paper adds to the current body of knowledge by providing readers with an understanding of this
topic. In addition, education of the general public about effective suicide prevention strategies in people who have
mood disorders is discussed.
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Poster 46
The Effect of Exercise and Stress Reduction Activities on Grade Point Average
Mary Hartnett
Educational Administration
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Strouse
Objective: In this study, we plan to investigate the correlation between Grade Point Average (GPA) and exercise,
as well other stress reduction techniques. We hypothesize that exercising at least three times per week for 30
minutes each time will have a direct correlation with higher GPAs. Method: Graduate students in education are
the population and we will have a sample size of 40 students in three separate education classes. The participants
will fill out a short questionnaire that includes five short answer and Likert Scale questions and two short openended questions. The questions will be based on questionnaire developed for the goal of comparing GPA and
health-related variables such as exercise, social support, spiritual health, mental health and stress management
as well as wake times and bedtimes. Participants will self-report their frequency of exercise, types of exercise,
and where they exercise (on-campus center or other facility). Expected Results: We expect to see a direct
correlation between hours spent exercising and GPA. Specifically, we expect GPA to be higher in participants that
also exercise regularly. We hope to discover the types of exercise (aerobic, strength or other) were most likely to
be correlated with an increase in GPA. We also expect to see exercise and higher GPA to be correlated with other
health-related variables such as stress reduction and yoga.
Poster 47
Threshold behavior of Wolbachia spread in insect populations
Michael Bosch
Biology
The bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachia, is estimated to infect 40-66% of all arthropod species populations, with
infection frequency within a population showing an "all-or-nothing" tendency. Several different models have
been published projecting the frequency of individuals infected with Wolbachia via vertical transmission (i.e.
infection passed from parent to offspring) in populations over generation time. These models emphasize
embryotic developmental arrest induced by Wolbachia, otherwise known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). As
it is presently known, these models are deterministic and describe two equilibrium frequency values at 1 and 0
(i.e. infection fixation and elimination, respectively), with a threshold equilibrium frequency between these two
values. These models are incapable of investigating the behavior of this threshold frequency. We investigated
Wolbachia spread through aquatic-emergent insect populations at this threshold frequency via stochastic
modeling. We implemented the Gillespie SSA Direct Method to investigate variability in CI-inducing Wolbachia
spread through the introduction of random mating events between individuals. Preliminary results suggest that
the behavior of the threshold frequency leads to varying probabilities of fixation or elimination depending on
the threshold value. This study opens up further research into the threshold behavior of Wolbachia via
stochastic modeling as well as potential biocontrol applications.
Poster 48
Racial Perception and Social Judgment of Faces
Kennidy Asche, Lillian Kallestad, Jose Ramon Dominguez
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: XT Wang
Throughout most of human evolutionary history and before much recent development in technology and
globalization, humans have lived in small face-to-face groups and had interacted amongst homogeneous members
similar to themselves. Therefore, facial features and racial characteristics came together to produce a prototype
image of a "typical" in-group member. Any facial features deviating from this stereotypical image could be
78
perceived as a potential risk. This study investigates to what extent discriminatory behaviors against other races
are social and attitudinal and to what extent they are caused by perceptual biases. Participants observed morphed
facial photos. They then rated each composite in terms of the complementary percentages of Asian and Caucasian
they perceived. Our results showed a significant perceptual bias towards the same race, so that 50-50 composites
would be perceived as more Caucasian looking. The overall inaccuracy measure was 22% deviating from actual
racial proportions while the directional bias was 9% more Caucasian than the actual racial proportions. In addition,
participants were asked to rate the images on a variety of characteristics. Their scores not only reflected personal
biases, but also innate prejudices that appear to be applied universally in judgments of out-group individuals. We
have shown that beyond social and attitudinal biases, perceptual biases may also contribute to acceptance rather
than discrimination towards another race. The results of social judgment suggest another-race favoritism. There
was a significant difference between healthiness ratings of pure and biracial faces in favor of biracial individuals,
indicating an effect of racial averaging, similar to the findings that averaged faces are perceived as more attractive
and healthier. Biracial faces seem to represent a perceived advantage of compromising out-group competition
and enhancing adaptive features through the genetic averaging.
Poster 49
Macular Degeneration and Cognitive Impairment
Molly Boell
Pre- Occupational Therapy Club
Occupational Therapist Angie Landauer recognized a possible correlation between macular degeneration and
cognitive impairment in her patients and wanted to further her knowledge about the topic. As part of a PreOccupational Therapy Club sponsored project, this correlation was investigated using AOTA's Critically Appraised
Topic (CAT) form as a guide. A literature search that included analysis 10 articles offers insight into this correlation.
Many studies suggest a weak correlation between these two topics. However, there is limited evidence regarding
the strength of the correlation and further investigation on this topic is needed. One potential correlation that
was discovered is the presence of neurotoxic amyloid β in both amyloid plaque that is found in patients with
Alzheimer's and in drusen, which is found in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Both diseases have
many of the same risk factors, such as age and obesity. The literature suggests there may be a possible correlation
between persons diagnosed with macular degeneration and the presence of depression. Depression and cognitive
impairment, such as dementia, can present similar symptoms. The literature reveals there is a significant
correlation between disability and depression, and depression is a key contributor to disability in persons with
age- related macular degeneration. The literature suggests that clinicians with patients who have macular
degeneration should consider Low Vision Rehab for their patients. Low Vision Rehab may be beneficial, both to
help promote function and also to possibly prevent depression in person's with macular degeneration.
Poster 50
Euthanasia vs. Physician Assisted Suicide
Leah A. Johnson, Danielle L. Knight, Morgan Mahanke
Social Work
Measuring rural views and attitudes towards Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide.
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Poster 51
Benchmarking Poster
Megan E. McCarthy, Kelsey Jade Schenk, Chris Jackson, Trevor Stacey, Raleigh Jungemann
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Carole South-Winter
This poster displays the patient satisfaction measures in Colorado from the top 4 hospitals in the region. The
graphs display separate information from each hospital, and two graphs that compile all 4 hospitals.
Poster 52
Drawing from the Past to Sustain the Future: Using Heirloom Maize Varieties to Create a More Sustainable
Agricultural System
Jonathan Mark Susemihl‡
Anthropology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Matthew Sayre
Pre Columbian Americans of our region developed and adapted dozens of maize varieties for the Upper Midwest's
environment through thousands of years of artificial selection. Unfortunately, the cultivation of these maize
varieties has been displaced by the intensive agriculture of a few modern strains of crops that are designed to
produce higher yields and possess little genetic diversity. However, because they are not adapted to our region
and demand higher levels of fertilizer, pesticides, and irrigation, these crops grow at a much higher cost to the
environment than their well-adjusted counterparts. To examine the potential uses of heirloom maize varieties in
reducing the negative environmental impacts associated with industrial corn production, a two phased study was
undertaken. In the study's first phase, nine native maize varieties were planted, cultivated, and harvested on a
garden plot lent by the W.H. Over museum to this researcher, who extensively documented each maize plant's
growing conditions, development, and final morphological characteristics. In the study's second phase, the
researcher conducted an archival research project that explored the development and use of native maize
varieties by both Native and Anglo-Americans in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. While
preliminary, the results of the study's first phase are promising. Two of the native maize varieties grown in this
experimental setting illustrated phenotypic characteristics that point to more efficient Nitrogen absorption, a
characteristic that, if incorporated in industrial agricultural corn varieties, may decrease fertilizer use. The results
of the study's second phase illuminate several of our region's historical agricultural trends that are often
overlooked. Particular focus was given to the role of cultural ideologies in implementing practices related to
agricultural conservation and sustainability.
Poster 53
Human Trafficking In America Versus Canada
Noel L. Bjerken
Health Sciences
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Laurie Lind
This piece of literature was written to compare the major health issue of human trafficking in the United States
and Canada. In both countries overall health was high and the economies strong. The nature and magnitude of
human trafficking in both countries was discussed. People who are poor, uneducated, and have a history of abuse
are more likely to be trafficked. Men, women, and children of all ages are at risk. Women and girls are more
commonly trafficked. Research showed that human trafficking is more prevalent in the United States. The nature
and magnitude of this health issue did not drastically change between the two countries. Social and economic
consequences are quite high. Human trafficking is one of the biggest illegal industries in the world. Policy changes
and legislative action are needed to address human trafficking. Individual education and action is highly successful
and beneficial in addressing the issue of human trafficking and preventing the increase of this issue.
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Poster 54
An assessment of the amphibian community composition and prevalence of a pathogenic fungus at Spirit
Mound
Jessica Speiser
Biology
Spirit Mound is a restored tallgrass prairie north of Vermillion, South Dakota that has a rich history in the culture
and wildlife of this region. It was previously an agricultural and cattle feedlot, but as of 2001 a restoration project
has been underway to restore the site back to its native structure. However, little is still known regarding the
vertebrate fauna that currently inhabit the area. In the summer of 2015, we conducted the first amphibian survey
of Spirit Mound since the restoration efforts began in order to document the current diversity. In addition, we
sampled amphibians for infection of the pathogenic fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which causes
chytridiomycosis and is a leading factor for amphibian species declines or extinction around the world and has
also been documented in South Dakota. Field observations consisted of visual-encounter surveys, a markrecapture study, and tissue collection for Bd infection assays. Surveys revealed the presence of four native
species: Anaxyrus cognatus, Anaxyrus woodhousii, Lithobates blairi, and Spea bombifrons. We estimated a low
Simpson’s Index of Diversity of .38 due to the dominance of A. cognatus at the site. No individuals showed signs
of chytridiomycosis, but tissue samples revealed the presence of Bd infection. Individuals can generally persist
with low levels of infection, however further investigation is needed to know how the community structure is
affected. These data show that amphibians are able to re-establish populations in a restored habitat, but it is
important to continue to monitor these amphibians and track the chytrid fungus infection rate.
Poster 55
Seed Libraries and Food Insecurity: An Emerging Solution to an Enduring Problem
Emily Roberson‡
Sustainability
Food insecurity in the United States is a multidimensional problem that affects over 14% of households.
Community seed libraries are one solution that may be able to address food insecurity in terms of access,
affordability, and health. My research into seed libraries and low income food security will help determine seed
library managers' perceptions of food insecurity in their communities as well as if or how they plan to use the seed
library to address food insecurity. Additionally, to address a lack of formal research involving seed libraries, this
research provides descriptive statistics about seed library goals, funding, and participation. The results will help
current and future seed library managers and food justice advocates understand low-income food security and
the role that seed libraries and home and community gardening can play in addressing community food needs. A
41-question online survey was sent to over 350 seed library managers in the U.S., and 160 responses were
received. Seed libraries are overwhelmingly located in public libraries, and over half of these were at least partially
founded by a public library staff members. Roughly half of seed library managers felt that the seed library
contributed to helping low-income families gain access to healthy foods. Seed libraries also seem to be doing well;
only 6.3% of responders felt that participation had decreased since the seed library's founding. Though seed
libraries are a fairly new phenomenon-out of all respondents, 83.75% (134 total) reported that their seed library
had been established between 2013 and 2015-they have the potential to help many low-income U.S. families
enjoy the benefits of growing their own nutritious food.
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Poster 56
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) nesting ecology in an agriculturally dominated landscape and
susceptibility to land-use change
Gretchen N. Newberry*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: David L. Swanson
Grassland habitat in the Northern Prairie region has been greatly reduced since historical times, and this decline
has recently intensified due to conversion to agricultural row-crop production. Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles
minor) nesting habitat includes grasslands, open forests and urban rooftops, but data indicate disproportionate
use of urban sites as nesting habitat in the study area. In the current study, we located and monitored 31
nighthawk nests at 12 urban rooftop sites 2014-2015 to document nestling and egg survival. Thirteen of the nests
failed, two were likely due to egg predation and 11 were abandoned. We found no significant difference in
predation rates, hatching success and fledging success between the study’s cities. We also recorded landscape
attributes (i.e. percent cover and distance to row-crops, water, wetlands, riparian areas, grasslands, hay crops,
pastures, developed areas, gravel rooftops, and deciduous forest) at nest sites and point count survey locations
for eastern and western portions of the study area in southeastern South Dakota to determine if landscape
attributes influences nighthawk occurrence or nest site selection and success. Our preliminary urban nesting data
revealed little interaction with most land cover categories (P > 0.05), but additional date in 2016 are needed to
confirm these findings. Point count data, however, suggest that the percent cover of grasslands, gravel rooftops,
and deciduous forest in the area were positively associated with nighthawk occurrence (P < 0.05). This study
predicts that continued conversion of grassland, gravel rooftop and forest habitat in an increasingly agriculturally
dominant landscape will negatively impact nesting ecology and conservation for this at-risk species that
potentially provides agricultural pest control.
Poster 57
AWOL New Orleans: Winter Break 2016
Katie Loutsch, Rachel Johannsen, Kori Junkman, Kennidy Ashe, Jamie Anderson, Jared Waltz, Michaela
Feldmann, Raven Blahnik, Rebecca Sistad, Samantha Lenz
Center for Academic and Global Engagement
AWOL students spent a week of their winter break in New Orleans, Louisiana engaging in service-learning. They
were part of the ongoing disaster relief and community restoriation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Poster 58
The Impact of Arts Engagement on the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)
Rebecca Froehlich‡
Art
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Shane Semmler
Using antipsychotic medication to treat BPSD in long term care facilities is scrutinized for its negative health
impacts. Sanford Vermillion Care Center developed the Sanford Arts Vermillion arts engagement program as one
approach to reducing the use of antipsychotics. After more than two years, Sanford professionals made anecdotal
observations of improvement in residents' behavior and mood. This poster describes the research I completed to
examine the relationship between arts engagement participation and resident wellness. Phase 1 of the research
was a content analysis of arts engagement participation records from January 2013-May 2015 to derive frequency
statistics of arts engagement modalities used and their impact on short-term resident wellness in sessions. Phase
2 examined the long-term impact of arts engagement on resident wellness with a statistical analysis of MDS
wellness records, controlling for residents' functional cognition, mood, medications, and diagnoses. I observed a
significant relationship between arts engagement participation and self-reported mood factors.
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Poster 59
AWOL Guatemala: Winter Break 2016
Brooke Doty, Curtis Plueger, Spencer Mathers, Kjerstin Williams, Allie Lindquist, Brianna Haugen, Taylor Hyde,
Shelbi Holtkamp, Elizabeth Pearson, Ashley Edge
AWOL students traveled to San Raimundo, Guatemala for a week during winter break to engage in service-learning
while building a house for a local family.
Poster 60
AWOL Indianapolis: Winter Break 2016
Jacob Munger, Josie Flatgard, Allison Reuland, Hayley Stahl, Kassie VanWyk, Kevin Nam, Hunter Burns, David
Saldana-Rico
AWOL students spent a week of their winter break in Indianapolis working with organizations on education and
the arts, engaging in service-learning activities designed to increase students’ civic engagement while meeting
identified commuinty needs.
Poster 61
AWOL Orlando: Winter Break 2016
Katie Barnett, Sheldon Moysis, Rachelle Moore, Mei Kwan Chan, Matthew Rohner, Kayla DeJong, Zachary
Dockter, Jenna Neugebauer, Chesney Arend, Stephen Gemar
AWOL students engaged in service-learning about health and community outreach, spending a week in Orlando,
Florida working with the organization Give Kids the World. GKTW provides the special experience of Orlando to
children with terminal illness and their families.
Poster 62
AWOL Springfield: Winter Break 2016
Kirsty Longley, Mackenzie Huber, Tanner Redlin, Payton Allen, Hailee Eisenbeisz, Sierra McConnell, Nathaniel
Steinlicht, Rachel Blanchard, Kaitlin Mennenga, Kindra Slagle
AWOL students traveled to Springfield, Missouri to work with Habitat for Humanity and food pantries to learn
about issues of housing and food insecurity.
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Poster 64
AWOL East St. Louis: Winter Break 2016
Geralyn Palmer, Clay Lippert, Alisha Satterlee, Aubrey Wald, Chontaya Justice, Leah Jesertiz, Hannah Winther,
Emmy Smith, Aaron Licht, Sarah Pearson
AWOL students spent a week in East St. Louis, Illinois, engaging in service-learning. They worked with food support
organizations and after-school programs focused on enriching the community experience for children in St. Louis.
Poster 65
Historic and Current Expected Distributions of Amphibian and Reptile Species In South Dakota
Rachel Johannsen‡
Biology
Natural history collections and their use has greatly contributed to our understanding of individual species and
ecological communities. Natural history collections are key to studying global biodiversity and are becoming more
important due to the impending threat of climate change and its environmental effects. Continuing increases in
human population, conversion of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) lands to agriculture, spread of pathogens,
habitat degradation from environmental contaminants, and climate change all likely have a strong negative impact
on South Dakota amphibian and reptile species. There are a limited number of amphibian and reptile voucher
specimens that have been collected from South Dakota, particularly when compared to other vertebrate groups.
Previously compiled distribution maps of South Dakota amphibian and reptile species are now out of date due to
newly available specimens. Georeferenced locality data from historic collections across South Dakota as well as
data from newly collected specimens as part of on-going survey efforts in the state have been compiled to update
species distribution maps. Here, we present information about the status of South Dakota amphibian and reptile
voucher specimens and present newly generated distribution maps.
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Abstracts of Student Presentations
*Graduate Research Award Winners
†CURCS Undergraduate Research Award Winners
‡U. Discover Participants
Guide to reading the program booklet – Abstracts:
Project Title
Presenter Name
The academic area of research as reported by the student
Faculty/Staff Sponsor Name
Thursday, April 14th
Armed, Reloaded, and Unquantified: Disproportionate deaths during police encounters?
Matthew Schlimgen†
Sociology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dave Lane
In the United States an average of three deaths occur during encounters with the police each day. Surprisingly,
this is a woefully understudied topic, with most literature examining the militarized buildup of the police force
over the past several decades (Balko, 2013; Kappeler and Kraska, 2015). Despite current discussions of police
violence in the public arena, there is a considerable lack of quantifiably empirical data with no baseline
measurements to justify such claims. My research establishes this, as I conducted a census of individuals who have
died during police encounters for the year 2015. While frames for understanding these incidents are distributed
by media, they emerge from the claims-making activity that centers on disproportionality. One such claim is that
blacks are disproportionately targeted by police, and subsequently dying during police encounters... this is
evidenced in preliminary findings. However, preliminary findings also show that Hispanic ethnicity is a greater
predictor of death during encounters. Establishing quantifiable measures will elaborate the issue of
disproportionality, and create a baseline measurement for future research.
Criminal Careers: Learning the Criminal Identity
Rachel Schmidt
Sociology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: David Lane
This research studies how three different factors can have an influence on the progression of a criminal's career
of deviance. The three factors can be identified by their corresponding theories: labeling approach, learning
theory, and socialization. These theories focus on how criminals begin their careers of deviance, what forces keep
them in this chosen career, and what leads to their eventual exit from the deviant career. In order for a criminal
to begin their deviant career, a criminal will learn a deviant act is possible and the motivations behind that act.
After the motivations have been established, the criminal will commit the act and will then decide if the deviant
act is worthy to be incorporated into their routine. This research looks extensively at the development of five
different criminals and how these particular factors have influenced their deviant careers, from learning about
specific deviant acts to ceasing deviant acts. By investigating how deviant acts have been reinforced through these
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factors throughout their involvement in a deviant career, this research is able to explain how various interactions
with society and specific persons beginning in childhood and reiterated throughout time have a profound impact
on whether an individual will begin and continue a deviant career. This research shows that societal and cultural
constructions and representations of crime must be altered to reduce future criminal activity. Understanding how
and why these criminals start and pursue their deviant careers will help the creation of programs designed to
decrease the likelihood of future criminals becoming involved in deviant careers.
Effects of Circadian Rhythms and Metabolic Condition on Intertemporal and Risky Choice
Lillian Kallestad
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: XT Wang
The current research investigates how bodily mechanisms, namely circadian rhythms and sleep pattern,
separately and jointly affect impulsivity and delay discounting. Delay discounting refers to the decline in the
present value of a reward with delay to its receipt, and can be used as a measure of impulsivity and tradeoffs
between a smaller-and-sooner (SS) reward and a larger-and-later (LL) reward. We hypothesized that both
morning-shifted circadian rhythm and longer sleep hours would increase self-control and future orientation. As a
result, they would be associated with lower delay discounting rates. Furthermore, we predicted that delay
discounting rates would be altered by light treatment, thereby reducing delay discounting and impulsivity.
Participants were exposed to a single session of light treatment for 20 minutes. The number of SS choices (a
measure of delay discounting) and trait-impulsivity were measured before and after the light treatment.
Our
results showed a negative correlation between scores on the Barratt Impulsivity Scale and MorningnessEveningness Questionnaire scores, r(60) = -.338, p <.01. The average number of hours slept each night were
significantly, negatively correlated with the the number of SS choices made after the light condition, r(60) = -.298,
b = -.298, t(60) = -1.897, p <.05. Average number of hours slept also explained a significant proportion of variance
in the number of SS chosen, R2 = .074, F(1, 60) = 5.841, p < .05. In addition, regression analysis showed a trend
between scores on the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire and the number of SS choices made after
exposure to the light condition, b = -.238, t(60) = -2.417, R2 = .057, F(1, 60) = 3.598, p > .05. These results suggest
that bodily cues, such as circadian rhythm and sleep pattern interact with trait impulsivity and regulate behavioral
impulsivity (delay discounting).
En Equals One: A Dynamic Snapshot of the Artist as a Young Man
Logan Tyler Hale
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jan Berkhout
Once upon a time, there was a Psychology graduate student who decided to write down his thoughts. He opened
his laptop one eventless evening and began pressing fingers to plastic with little regard to what he was writing.
"Free association" he called it, with little regard to what that term actually meant (even accidentally repeating
phrases such as "with little regard"). Every day for a month, he would open up this hefty, overheating monstrosity
of a computer and type type type away seemingly random, inane thoughts as they traveled from his brain directly
to his fingertips. Out of his mind came all manner of horrible things: death and butts and existential crises and
hyperbolic sarcasm. But after all was said and done - after his neurons had been drained of all thought by the
vampiric notion of free association - one furtive, minuscule cell began to fire. That cell was called Hope. For all the
pretentiousness and self-importance that spilled out, Hope guided the young man towards epiphany: "these
words are data - 45,000 points of data which could be analyzed and molded into scientific research. These data
represent a man's thought processes during a 30-day period of his life. At 25-years-old and in grad school, this is
a dynamic snapshot of my brain. These words are me, or at least some significant part of me. A top-down brain
scan that can be compared to later versions to create a longitudinal study of who I am as a person," he thought,
confiding in his one true friend Microsoft Word-chan. He ran statistical analyses on word count, sentence length,
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affect, and word relatedness to present at a conference and hopefully publish at some point. He had Hope, and
time will tell if Hope persists, for his is a story left unfinished...
Does Growing Income and Wealth Inequality Mean Growing Health Inequality Too?
Cody A. Reed
Sociology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jack Niemonen, Katie Bloom
Presentation will cover the most recent and relevant research in regards to health disparities by socioeconomic
status (SES) in relation to growing income and wealth inequality. Focus is placed on the United States (US), while
using other developed nations for comparisons. Peer reviewed books and journal articles from fields including
sociology, public health, economics, epidemiology, and medicine all have produced research in varying topics of
health inequities by SES. Recent research in economics reveal historically high income and wealth inequalities for
wealthy nations. The US appears to be a special case as the levels of income and wealth inequality are highest
among wealthy nations. Larger health disparities by SES in the US compared to other wealthy nations may reveal
an association between health disparities and income and wealth inequality. Wealthy nations studied have all
shown health inequities by various definitions of SES. Extent of health disparities by SES in the US by itself have
been widening over time. Direct comparison between the US and England have mixed results in relation to
proportionate income and wealth inequality and health of the populations. Multiple methodology techniques
reveal growing health disparities, but do not conclude that US health disparities by SES are truly reflective of large
income and wealth inequalities. Use of surveys bring to question the reliability of a number of leading research
on the topic. Research is limited on the specifics of growing income and wealth inequality in relation to health
inequities. The multiple fields working on the topic of health disparities would make more progress with
recognition of each other's research. This would prevent repetitive research and would promote a further,
progressive understanding of the topic. Results promote more acknowledgement on the topic of income and
wealth inequality when discussing improving national health.
Peru and Colombia: Political Violence and Prospects of Democracy
Jose Martin Munoz†
Political Science
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Eric Jepsen
There are many similarities in the political process of Peru and Colombia during the last decades of the last century.
Not only both countries struggled against guerrilla insurgency, but they also had an important segment of their
populations leaning towards the left side of the political spectrum. Both the Colombian and Peruvian militaries
responded drastically to the rise of the armed and legal left, engaging in crimes against humanity, especially in the
most depressed areas of each country's countryside, where most of the underserved population and peasants
reside. This process of political violence created similar conditions for the development of their democracies.
They, however, followed different political paths. On the one hand, by the decade of 1980, the economic crisis,
social upheaval, and political violence did not prevent the Colombian government from maintaining a functioning
democracy, despite losing political and military control of important areas of the country to the guerrillas. On the
other hand, the Peruvian government, under the same conditions, interrupted its democratic process. Moreover,
both countries experienced political violence and economic crisis in a context of weakening of their traditional
party systems during the decade of 1980. This crisis paved the way for "independent" neoliberal technocracies in
both countries to take control and implement structural reforms in the economy. However, the Colombian elites
conducted this process without dismantling their democratic institutions, while the Peruvian elites did otherwise.
Finding out the reason of this contrasting political behavior is at the center of this research project. In this context,
I will attempt to identify the causes that drove each country's political elites to take opposite directions in response
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to a similar problem. Finally, this approach will allow me to make a comparative analysis of their democracies and
the prospects of political participation within their civil societies.
Value Judgments and Gender: Why One Direction Is Not Taken Seriously
Kerstin Tuttle
Women & Gender Studies
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Sara Lampert
One Direction is currently one of the biggest bands in the world. The group consistently sells out stadiums during
their many world tours and their music is often at the top of the music charts. The band has also broken six
Guinness World Records - but that is not what most people think of when they hear the name "One Direction." If
you Google search "One Direction is" the first suggested search is "One Direction is gay." Another common
judgment toward the band is that the boys are talentless, only selling tickets because the boys appeal (sexually)
to young girls. While it is true that One Direction has had a large impact on young girls, who make up the majority
of their fan base, refusing to take One Direction seriously points to a larger underlying problem. One Direction is
not taken seriously because the interests of young women and girls are not taken seriously - instead, they are
consistently devalued and reduced to the point of being seen as stupid and shallow. Ultimately, this leads young
women and girls to be seen in the same light. My presentation aims to untangle the linkage between young girls'
interests, media portrayals, and value judgments through the pop culture icon One Direction. A closer look at One
Direction's lyrics show themes of loss, insecurity, love, loyalty and friendship, belonging, and desire - things that
are probably relevant to young girls, but really, a large portion of the general population can relate to and identify
with. A similar analysis of their music videos reveals use of complex imagery and symbolism. It is time that girls'
interests are valued for what they are, and not disregarded just because of their main consumers.
The Implementation of a Food Recovery Program at the University of South Dakota
Eric M. Schlimgen
J.D. and M.P.A.
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Matthew Fairholm
Food waste and hunger are two problems which can be resolved by one solution; instead of filling landfills, we
should be feeding people (EPA, 2015). The traditional view of unsold food (or food nearing the end of its shelf
life) at farms and retail establishments in the U.S. has been one of “waste” – a seemingly necessary cost of doing
business that needed to be discarded as quickly and inexpensively as possible to avoid disruption to future
operations (Finn, M.S., et al, 2014). With nearly 50 million (about one in six) Americans currently experiencing
food insecurity—the condition assessed by the USDA food security report is a household-level economic and
social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food—a strong moral, economic, and environmental
argument can be made for the need to capture and redistribute excess food (Feeding America, 2014; Finn, M.S.,
et al, 2014; Haley, 2013). Food recovery programs are currently in place utilizing the legal protections afforded
by the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act to combat hunger. The largest college and university
organization, Food Recovery Network (FRN) has an alliance of more than 150 colleges and universities in 35
states; collectively they recover 1,000 meals a day which would otherwise go to waste and offer guidance on
best implementation practices (FRN, 2016). This presentation outlines the administrative procedures followed
for implementation of a food recovery program at the University of South Dakota. Specifically; action steps
(Gantt chart), communication and leadership strategy, personnel issues, budgetary issues—financial incentives,
constitutional and legal considerations, ethical considerations and summery of implementation steps at the
University of South Dakota.
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Woodrow Wilson's Western Tour: A Failure to Communicate
Jeremy Fajman*
History
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Steven Bucklin
Politics is said to stop at the water's shore. The line is a false illusion however, because citizens and their elected
representatives are concern about both domestic policy and foreign policy, and the interplay between the two.
The events of 1919 illustrate the interplay between domestic policy and foreign policy. In that year, Woodrow
Wilson faced two monumental tasks towards securing peace. The first was negotiating with the European powers
a structure for securing world peace. The second was arguably more difficult; selling that structure to the United
States Senate. When Wilson failed to sell that structure, the League of Nations, he turned to the American people
in what has become known as the western tour. Wilson's western tour was a speaking campaign across the United
States in primarily the states west of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Previous studies have examined the
motivations of Wilson and his opponents in the League of Nations fight. Other scholars have examined Woodrow
Wilson's rhetoric, but only through the lens of neo-Aristotelian. What has not been study is an examination of
Wilson's rhetoric using other rhetorical methods of analysis. Additionally, the rhetoric of citizens, via letters to the
editor, and other contemporaries have not been analyzed. Using more recent rhetorical theories, specifically
Ernest Bormann's symbolic convergence theory, offers an opportunity to understand the competing cultural and
world views between both sides of the League of Nations fight. The aim of this presentation shall be to provide
the context for the need of such a study, specifically in relation to the Dakotas, and to discuss the sources that will
be utilized. While this study is not scheduled to be finished until Summer 2016, what is available in terms of
secondary literature and primary sources, to date, shall be briefly presented and discussed.
Potential Impact of Victim-Jury Relatability in the Application of the Death Penalty
Jacob K. Naasz
Political Science
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Elizabeth Smith
We widely regard the criminal justice system to be largely pure in its application of its prescribed punishments,
especially with capital crimes. With its heightened sense of scrutiny since Gregg v. Georgia. However, are there
extenuating factors that could play a pivotal role in the application of the death penalty with regards to jury
composition? If the murder victim had children, would those with children be more likely to convict and dole out
death as a punishment over their childless-peers? If victim relatability is an important factor then, how far should
the criminal justice system go to have as unbiased trial as possible? Based upon how juries are initially selected in
many areas, i.e. via a committee, is this an inherent issue that cannot be prevented without a substantial reformation of the criminal justice system? All these questions I shall attempt to answer in a logical, evidence based
manner.
Demographic Variables that May Predict the Incidence of eSRT
Lavin Entwisle*
Communication Sciences & Disorders
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jessica Messersmith
Previous studies have shown that there are many variables that can impact outcomes for persons who use
cochlear implants (CIs). Factors such as anatomy and physiology (Sharma, Dorman & Spahr, 2002), onset of
hearing loss (Geers, Nicholas & Moog, 2007), age of implantation (Kirk, Ying, Miyamoto, O'Neil, Lento & Fears,
2002), patient personality or motivation (Fadda, 2011), and consistent device use (Spencer, Gantz, Knutson, 2004)
all play a significant role in patient outcomes and perceived benefit from a CI. While audiologists cannot regulate
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many of the above factors, audiologists can help maximize patient outcomes and perceived benefit through
delivery of evidence-based programming that is timely and consistent (Carver, 2007; Mertes & Chinnici, 2006).
Currently, there are no published standardized evidence-based best practice guidelines for CIs. This leads to
inconsistent follow-up care across CI centers, which could create variability in patient outcomes and success
(Mertes & Chinnici, 2006). Previous research by Dr. Messersmith and colleagues show high variability in
programming measures and follow-up schedules used amongst CI audiologists across the country. Since these
findings, it has been our hope to increase awareness regarding lack of standardized treatment protocol, as well as
begin preliminary research to establish such a protocol. The purpose of this research project is to look for variables
that may predict the presence/absence of eSRT in individuals with a CI, as well as look at how well eSRT measures
relate to behavioral measured M levels. This will be done through a chart review of patients seen at the USD CI
clinic. The use of eSRT measures has become standardized practice in our clinic, but may not be a part of the
treatment protocol at other CI centers. The information provided by this study will help build the foundation for
specific best practice guidelines for patients with CIs.
Lean in Healthcare
Rachelle Moore
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dan Tracy
The objective of this study is to evaluate the wastes and superfluous expenditures in today's healthcare system.
By introducing lean into this industry, we will be able to decipher the positive or negative effects that it would
have on the costs, satisfaction, and effectiveness. By first determining the original conditions, we can establish a
framework to use in our research process. It should be the nation's focus to improve healthcare (reducing errors)
while keeping healthcare costs low. Therefore, this paper will attempt to review performance and propose the
successful implementation of lean healthcare practices.
Contextual Predictor's of Children's Subjective Well-being in Botswana
Layani Makwinja*
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lisa Newland
With more economies recognizing the importance of a strong foundation, in reference to its human power, there
has been a greater emphasis on the importance of children, particularly their well-being. With history as it's own
witness children's well-being has been objective based on thoughts, observations and 'experience' by adults and
those within the child development and childcare field. The International Survey of Children's Well-Being is
changing this by creating a platform that has revealed remarkable results highlighting the importance of research
on children's subjective well-being. This study is looking at contextual factors that predict and contribute to
children's subjective well-being (SWB) in Botswana. Understanding children's needs from their perspective has
become a crucial resource to creating optimal environments for positive developmental outcomes in children.
Botswana is a collectivist country that is guided by many laws and traditions that have been passed down for
generations. However, with westernization comes contrasting individualistic characteristics making parenting
more challenging, as parents want to keep the traditional values and morals they were raised in while grooming
their children to succeed in a competitive, individualistic world. This difference in structure can also be seen
through socioeconomic status (SES) where those in the high SES bracket are more westernized than those in low
SES bracket. With these differences determining a child's well-being can become challenging. This study will
identify the contextual factors, such as home and family, life and neighborhood, school and peer factors and
determine which ones are strongly related to children's SWB. It will also further identify if there is a specific
difference in the factors that predict children's SWB for children in state and private schools looking to determine
whether SES has an impact on children's SWB. To measure children's SWB this study looks at life satisfaction,
mental health and self-image as indicators.
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Improved patient-provider communication for children with ASD: Visual schedules and video models.
Annie Peasley*
Communication Sciences & Disorders
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Liz Hanson
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulty with transitions and being able to predict events and this is especially true during medical appointments (Law, 2015). The purpose of this study is to measure the
effect of a video model embedded in a visual schedule app on children ages 3-13 years old with ASD, in terms of
increased compliance during those tasks and increased ease of transition between tasks. This study takes
advantage of tablet-based technology that allows us to embed video models in a customized visual schedule app
(TeachMate) to help children successfully participate in and complete an audiologic evaluation, which is part of a
larger ASD Clinic with multiple evaluations with different healthcare providers. A male child actor was video
recorded going through the transition to the audiology evaluation and participating in/following directions for the
various procedures during the session. Individual video clips showing transitions and patient responses were
created and embedded in the visual schedule app on an iPad. Participants will be randomly assigned to treatment
and control groups. Those in the treatment group will see the visual schedule app and video models as they
complete procedures during hearing test. Participants in the control group will complete hearing testing without
the visual schedule/video models, which is standard practice. Items that will be measured include duration of
audiology appointment, number of audiology tasks completed, on-task behavior, parent/guardian interview
responses, and duration of individual audiological assessments. A parent survey and open-ended interview will be
administered to the parents/guardians after the appointment. The interviews will be audio-recorded for later
transcription. Responses will aid the researchers in better understanding the child’s typical behavior and reaction
to the treatment or to no treatment. This project is still in progress and therefore final results are not currently
available.
Freedom as a Core Component of Child Well-Being
Koty Kristyne Matthiesen, Kasie Chanel Mays
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Lisa Newland
According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, children have basic human rights and
freedoms, including freedom of expression, thought, movement, and association (see Articles 14-16, United
Nations Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner). Levy (2015) reports that children's freedom and choices
are restricted by adults within social institutions, which may limit children's sense of agency as well as their wellbeing. While some studies have examined the nature and extent of children's freedom within specific age groups
(with freedom generally increasing as children age), no study to date has examined children's conception of
freedom, and the links between freedom (or lack thereof) and children's subjective well-being. The purpose of the
phenomenological study was to explore the phenomenon of freedom as it relates to child subjective well-being,
and to illuminate the contexts and people that support or hinder children's freedom and well-being. Following IRB
approval, data were collected from 22 children ages 8 to 13 from the Midwestern U.S. Individual interviews were
conducted by trained research assistants following a semi-structured interview protocol. Transcripts will be
analyzed using a phenomenological approach (Creswell, 2013), including identifying and coding significance
statements, inductively clustering codes into themes, and clearly articulating the meaning of themes and patterns
across themes. Each transcript will be coded by at least two researchers to assess reliability of coding, and
discrepancies will be identified and discussed until consensus is reached. Preliminary analysis suggests that
children's views on freedom differ from adult views, and that particular people (e.g. friends), contexts (e.g.
outdoor, athletic, and recess areas) and times (e.g. summer, weekends) are more supportive of choice and
freedom than others. Implications, strengths, weaknesses, and future directions of the research will be discussed.
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Session 6d: 9:20 am-10:50 am - Muenster University Center Ballroom A
Culture of the Common Man: Shakespeare in Nineteenth-Century South Dakotan Newspapers
Chelsea Campbell‡
English
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Darlene Farabee
The purpose of my research is to show how Shakespeare belonged in nineteenth-century frontier culture in South
Dakota. My research analyzes the sources I found in newspaper databases and microfilm. These include but are
not limited to The Black Hills Daily Times, Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times, Aberdeen Daily, The Daily Huronite, and
The Mitchell Daily Republican from 1880-1900. My findings reveal that Shakespeare appears in many facets of
rural nineteenth-century South Dakotan newspapers, including reviews of performances, attention-grabbing
headlines and stories, and advertisements for goods and services. For example, on June 21, 1889, an
advertisement in the Daily Deadwood Pioneer Times says that nothing ailed Shakespeare's Hamlet "but
indigestion which upset his liver, polluted his blood and made him nervous. If it had been possible for Hamlet to
have had Hostetter's Stomach Bitters he would have been a different character" ("A Shakespearean Discovery"
2). In order for an advertisement such as this to work, readers would have had to be familiar with the character
and the story. My findings show how Shakespeare was relevant and important in the lives of frontier men and
women in South Dakota.
Hemingway's Obstetric Doctors and Their Methods: The Cases of Medical Negligence Ernest Hemingway's A
Farewell to Arms and "Indian Camp"
Stephanie M. Laska
English
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Heather Love
At the turn of the century, new combinations of anesthetics were used to reduce pain during labor and surgical
interventions were re-invented to provide safer labors for both mother and child. Modernist writer Ernest
Hemingway's apparent critique on the progress of reproductive technology ironically places fault in the doctors
of obstetrics of and their methods in A Farewell to Arms and "Indian Camp." Many critics claim that Hemingway's
gendered perceptions of the a post-war era border on the misogynistic, but Hemingway's inclusion of the medical
cases offers an opposing opinion of the gendered stance usually discussed in conjunction with his work.
Hemingway's use of male doctors question the negative affects on laboring female bodies. Hemingway's
integration of popular conversations dealing with obstetrics of the time and the common concerns surrounding
obstetric doctors and their methods are grafted onto the patients in a way that allows for a surprisingly feminist
interpretation of the texts that faults doctors for not properly taking care of female patients due to their own
egotistical need to legitimize themselves as doctors and the medical discourse as a whole. The medical
investigation of Catherine Barkley's death and the circumstances surrounding the rudimentary caesarian section
on a Native American woman allow for a new reading that positions Hemingway in a the medical discourse of the
1920s. His critique implies the damage that occurs on the woman's body, and often impact stretches to those
close to the maternal body. The methods of each case actually shift within each story, but both include a gendered
social critique of the medical field and its effects on women's bodies.
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Oedipus's Identity Crisis: An Analysis Using the Johari Window Model
Sadie Swier
English
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Melanie Wood
In this paper, I present an original analysis concerning the concept of identity in the ancient play, Oedipus the
King, by using the Johari window model. In my paper "Oedipus's Identity Crisis: An Analysis Using the Johari
Window Model," I use the model developed by Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham in 1969 to show the relationship
between the protagonist Oedipus and the other characters in regards to how much information is known. The
results show that Oedipus's identity is actually controlled by others. This is due to others knowing an immense
amount more information about Oedipus's identity. The Johari Window is utilized to gain new perceptions on
one's self and rooted in the theory of self-disclosure, which is how divulging information can be important to
discovering one's own identity. After using this model, a person's identity is better understood and overall selfconcept is healthier. Usually, this person knows more about themselves than others. Yet, the other characters
know more vital information than Oedipus does. The Johari Window reveals that Oedipus goes to any length to
answer the question, "Who am I?" However, his investigation ultimately leads to him to his epic downfall. Yet
Oedipus's demise can't be completely blamed on his tragic flaw of "pride" or "arrogance". His hamartia is human
nature because it is important for humans to learn information that is not known to themselves. Even though
Oedipus claims that he shouldn't have kept asking about his past, there was nothing he could have done to make
his situation better. Based on the theories of the Johari Window Model, he wouldn't have stopped in search for
his identity.
Treehouse Soldiers: A World War II Historical Novel Informed by Al McIntosh's Newspaper Accounts
Russell Shaffer*
English
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Natanya Pulley
Al McIntosh was a Siouxland local. He grew up in Sioux City, attended Morningside College, and eventually settled
90 minutes away in Luverne, Minnesota. When he purchased the Rock County Star newspaper in 1940, he had no
idea he would capture the triumphs and tragedies of small-town American life during the darkest period of the
20th century. My IdeaFest oral presentation exhibits McIntosh's coverage of World War II and its influence on
my historical novel, Treehouse Soldiers. McIntosh was a weekly herald for Rock County, unfolding the war for its
residents. Even in a community as far from the conflict as possible, no one in Luverne could escape it. McIntosh's
first wartime report included the story of local Russell Ormseth, "who [was] with the Marines in Guam, reported
taken by" Japan. From day one, Luverne was involved. From Pearl Harbor to V-J Day, the small farming community
offered its support, resources, and men and women to its country. McIntosh reported information on the events
overseas, but also wove in accounts of Rock County citizens, their reactions, worries, and unflinching dedication
to the defense of freedom. Such a melding of information creates an in-depth account of the full experience of
the war, one which I present using clips and photos from archived newspapers, as well as excerpts from Treehouse
Soldiers to display how historical accounts influence the development of historical fiction. While producing his 15hour documentary titled The War, Ken Burns said, "Al McIntosh might be the single greatest archival discovery
that we ever made." McIntosh’s accounts fuse statistics and sentiment. Historical novels fuses fact and fiction.
These mediums connect us not only to the generations of the past, but to those who fought and struggled to make
this area of the country what it is today.
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Mediating the Paradox of a Timeless Myth: Death, Art, and Love Confront Orpheus
Hannah Marie Nagy
History
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Clayton Lehmann
The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice has persisted throughout time. It has survived the destruction of Ancient Greek
culture and beliefs, while perpetuating the beliefs of varying cultures and eras throughout the world because of
its utilization of three themes: death, love, and art. In the comparison of the myth between ancient texts created
by Apollodorus, Phaedrus, and Virgil, the Brazilian movie Orfeu Negro, and Salman Rushdie's novel The Ground
beneath Her Feet, the three themes are able to reconcile genders, cultures, and time. They ensure the survival of
the myth, as they mediate between each other and opposing ideals, creating the necessary terra firma beneath
humankind's feet. The love story of Orpheus and his beloved Eurydice appears to have been created by a seeming
paradoxical mixture of themes, yet the stories that stay with humans, no matter how many boundaries they have
confronted, appear to often need the aspect of contradiction to mirror our own humanity. Art, death, and love
create the paradox, but they also make up our lives, as the various versions of Orpheus's myth appear to reveal,
thus, creating the solution in how to live.
Mock Trial
Ethan T. Adams, Austin B. Filips, Hannah R. Fullenkamp, Jessica M. Allen, Chad D. Wieczorek
Criminal Justice
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Sandy McKeown
Come watch the University Mock Trial team present a snapshot of their 2015-16 case. The prosecution will
attempt to prove to you that Chase Covington, a fictional politician, is guilty of receiving a bribe. The defense will
then take a turn and try to prove to you the opposite. Is the defendant guilty or innocent? Decide for yourself!
Session 7a: 11:00 am-12:30 pm - Muenster University Center 211/211A
The Gambler's Fallacy: Individual Investment Behavior
William J. Belch Jr†
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Brock Stoddard
The gambler's fallacy may appear when a person makes repeated decisions in a risky environment where a random
variable is independent and identically distributed across decision intervals. In this study, subjects were given
ECU's (Electronic Currency Units) to invest in risky funds with probabilistic returns or funds with deterministic
returns. The experiment contained three separate scenarios each holding different probabilistic returns. Data was
collected to measure the presence of the gambler's fallacy across multiple controlled laboratory experiments in
order to analyze individual decisions in a self-investment environment. Results show strong evidence of the
gambler's fallacy in subjects' investment trends throughout all scenarios.
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The relationship between commodity farm prices and consumer spending.
Vonda Cotton
Economics
This study examines the relationship between agricultural commodity prices and consumer spending. Farming is
unlike most other professions, as the income for farmers fluctuates greatly from year to year. If higher prices for
farmers are shown to boost the entire economy, then it would be a good reason for people to purchase food
grown in the United States and not products that were imported. This would also be a great reason to require
origin of labeling on all food products. I used a multiple regression to analyze data from the US historical
commodities database, the US census, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The Effect of Income on National Park Visitation
Elizabeth Jo Dailey
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kathryn Birkeland
When it comes to vacation destinations, national parks serve as a major attractions for many American and
international travelers. This paper addresses how increases in personal disposable income affect the number of
travelers that go to national parks. Historical visitation data was gathered from all national parks throughout the
United States, as well as historical data for personal disposable income. Regressions were run to determine the
effect personal disposable income would have on individual national park visitation numbers. The hypothesis was
that an increase to personal disposable income would have no effect on national park visitation. However, results
for the analysis of the parks individually resulted in some as inferior goods and others as normal goods. The paper
addresses different reasons as to why this could happen for specific parks to better understand the system on an
individual basis. Overall, this indicates that legislators could use this information to understand how to better fund
and understand fluctuations in visitor numbers at certain parks and throughout the national parks system as a
whole based on different economic situations.
Predicting Hotel Occupancy
Karan Patel
Economics
I examined the factors that determine occupancy rates of hotels using multiple regression models and other
econometric techniques. I used three years of data of occupancy rates to form a hypothesis of the factors that
affect occupancy rates and the factors that don't. This hypothesis can then be used in various ways by the hotel
industry to make changes to their operations or change their focus on different aspects of the business in order
to run it in a very efficient manner.
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Session 7b: 11:00 am-12:30 pm - Muenster University Center 216
Transcriptomic Profiling of Serratia marcescens in Response to the Amphibian Fungal Pathogen
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
Joseph Madison*
Biology
Understanding the role of the amphibian microbiome in disease resistance is becoming increasingly important in
development of disease treatments. Amphibian declines worldwide have been directly linked to the emerging
chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). While reduced morbidity is linked to bacterial community
composition, the underlying mechanisms of these microbial interactions are unclear. In order to understand these
interactions, we characterized the transcriptomic response of a commonly identified member of the amphibian
microbiome, Serratia marcescens which shows strong anti-Bd inhibition in vitro. S. marcescens (high homology
to strain WW4) were collected from a population of Agalachnys annae in Costa Rica. Cultures were grown up in a
liquid ThGL broth using Bd, No Bd, and Heat-Killed Bd experimental treatments. Biological replicates (2) under
each treatment were then lysed, rRNA depleted, and library prepped (indexed). These samples (6 total) were used
in RNA-seq on an Illumina miSeq. Analysis of fastQ output files was done using Rockhopper 2 assuming a negative
binomial distribution. Differentially expressed genes were identified with a Q-value less than 0.01. Pathway
analysis was completed using KEGG. Bd exposed bacteria exhibited an upregulation of 18 genes as compared to
control treatments. These genes (mapped to S. marcescens reference genome) involved global metabolic
processes including nitrogen metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and the Entner-Duodoroff pathway. We also
found significant upregulation of anti-sense RNA genes associated with genes that relate to transcription and ones
with uncharacterized gene products. The results of this study suggest that there is a limited transcriptomic
response to Bd. Genes that were significantly upregulated are likely part of a global stress response. There were
no genes found that would indicate directed action of S. marcescens towards Bd. The possibility of S. marcescens
anti-Bd action in part due to basally produced antifungal produced and excreted anti-Bd metabolites remains a
possibility. Additionally, the upregulation of asRNAs as a mechanism of an anti-Bd response is possible and at this
point not fully understood. These results will aid in a deeper understanding of the interactions in this disease
system and a potential microbial based treatment.
A tale of fire and flood: investigating the long term recovery of the aquatic insect community in montane
desert streams after catastrophic disturbances.
Kristopher Pitcher*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Daniel Soluk
Fire disturbance is an integral aspect of forest ecosystems in the Southwestern United States. However, when
fires become catastrophic due to anthropogenic interference (e.g. fuel build up), the disturbance can become
destructive. Forest fires directly influence associated streams, altering the physical structure and the biotic
community. On May 8th, 2011, Arizona's fifth largest fire, the Horseshoe 2 fire, affected 222,954 acres in the
Chiricahua Mountains. In 2013 the Cave Creek drainage system also experienced a large flooding event that was
exacerbated by erosion caused by the 2011 fire. Nearby drainages within the mountain range have been
influenced differently by the 2011 fire, creating a unique natural experiment making it possible to test the long
term effects different levels of catastrophic disturbance have on stream community recovery. Comparing pre-fire
data from 2010 to post-fire data from 2012, 2013, and 2015, Cave Creek has exhibited a quick recovery response
by habitat generalists (e.g. blackfly larvae, hellgrammites), but a longer recovery by a predatory caddisfly
(Atopsyche spinosa) and almost no recovery by a historically common apex dragonfly predator (Oplonoechna
armata). In 2015 we found a similar pattern in East Turkey Creek, but in West Turkey Creek it appears that the
overall biodiversity was either less impacted by the disturbance or was able to recover more quickly. Data from
2016 will determine if this pattern remains. Our data suggests that catastrophic disturbance can have a significant
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and multiple year influence on the community structure of a montane desert stream ecosystem. It is important
to understand how catastrophic events such as the Horseshoe 2 fire can indirectly influence stream ecosystems
not only because they can have long term unforeseen impacts on stream community dynamics, but also because
it can have delayed impacts on the surrounding terrestrial ecosystem by influencing trophic subsidies (i.e. aquatic
insect emergence).
Implication of particle size of titania on degradation of rhodamine B over TiO2-Al2O3 mixed oxide materials
Sunav Shrestha*
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Ranjit T. Koodali
The release of untreated wastewater into aquatic sources is impacting the quality of drinking water. It is estimated
that about 20% of the pollutants are dyes that are not properly treated before being discharged into the
wastewater streams. These dyes may undergo further reduction under anaerobic condition and form several toxic
compounds that also possess threat to the water ecosystem. In this regard, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs)
such as heterogeneous photocatalysis is considered as an effective method for removal of organics from the water
sources. Several metal and mixed metal oxides have been utilized for the removal of pollutants. Among them,
mixed oxide materials, such as titania-silica and titania-alumina have been widely used for degradation of
pollutants due to their enhanced surface properties. In this study, a set of titania-alumina (TiO2-Al2O3) mixed
oxide materials were prepared by a modified sol-gel synthesis route, and the gels were dried using supercritical
carbon dioxide. The supercritical drying process minimizes the pore collapse via removing the solvent in a fluid
state, and, thus, the porosity of the materials are in general relatively higher. The synthesized materials were
extensively characterized using several techniques that include powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption,
diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The XPS studies indicate the
existence of Al-O-Al, Al-O-OH, Ti-O-Ti, and Ti-O-OH in TiO2-Al2O3 mixed oxides. The degradation of the dye
rhodamine B (RhB) was confirmed by the identification of several fragments of RhB with different m/z values from
the Liquid Chromatogram - Mass Spectroscopic (LC-MS) studies. Our results suggest that Al-O-OH bond on the
surface of the mixed oxide materials could possibly have an impact whereas the particle size of the photoactive
species, titania, is the key factor for effective degradation of the dye.
Adsorption of Cationic, Anionic, and Hybrid Dyes onto Different Silica Materials
Kaitlyn Nicole Stern
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Ranjit T. Koodali
The textile industry has a large pollution problem due to the discharge of toxic effluents into the aquatic stream.
The World Bank estimates that seventeen to twenty percent of industrial water pollution comes from textile
dyeing and treatment. Under anaerobic conditions, these pollutants are broken down into various toxic materials,
such as amines and cyanides. Thus, removal of these toxic pollutants from the waterbody is necessary for a
sustainable environment. There are varieties of dye removal methods; adsorption is one of the effective
techniques for the pollutant removal that is cost effective. Adsorption is the physical and/or chemical process in
which a substance is accumulated at the interface between the phases which may be solid-liquid, liquid-liquid,
gas-liquid, or gas-solid. Silica can be used as an absorbent-the phase onto which the accumulation takes placedue to its favorable textural properties such as specific surface area, pore volume and pore size. The objectives
of this project were to synthesize and characterize SiO2 aperiodic materials such as Aerogels, Xerogels, and Hydro
Thermal Synthesis methods (HTS), and SBA-15 and to investigate the adsorption behavior of these mesoporous
materials against three different dyes, including anionic (Eosin Y), hybrid (Rhodamine B), and cationic (Methylene
Blue) dyes.
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Opioid Addiction in the United States.
Dustin Valind
Health Sciences
Opioid Addiction is a growing problem in the United States. There are many people within the United States dying
of this issue each year. This presentation will address the prevalence of the issue, the underlying causes, as well
as some possible solutions to this issue. This presentation is meant to both raise awareness to the issue of opioid
addiction, as well as discuss ways to combat the issue. Data was gathered from several different sources, and
compiled in order to form a clear picture of opioid addiction within the United States, and possible solutions to
the issue. Forming a picture of the total societal cost of opioid addiction, and the possible benefits of different
solutions were a major portion of this. The total cost of opioid addiction per year is $55.7 billion. The CDC found
a major risk factor was living in a rural area and having a low income. People who receive government aid in
general, and not just those who are poor are also at a higher risk of developing a problem with opioids. People
who are addicted to opioids also exhibit problems with: alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and crack. There are answers,
however, for every $1.00 spent in a drug court, law enforcement costs save $3.36. On top of this, 75% of drug
court graduates remain crime free for at least two years. Opioid addiction is a major issue facing millions of
people within the United States, as well as millions of other people worldwide. Of all people dependent on opioids,
almost half of them had some form of illegal income in order to support their habit. Of those around half of them
sell drugs, further increasing the opioid supply. 44,000 people overdose on opioids each year, yet Naloxone is not
universally available. This needs to be addressed.
Session 7c: 11:00 am-12:30 pm - Muenster University Center 216A
Applications of Excipient Dentifrice Materials for Biomimetic Remineralization and Desensitization of Teeth
Brandon Jay Karels*
Chemistry
Project Abstract: Demineralization and remineralization processes coexist throughout a person's entire life.
Common dental diseases and conditions, such as tooth decay and hypersensitivity, respectively, are usually the
result of an imbalance in biomineralization processes that result in damage to the tooth structure, a central
malady facing patients in dental clinics today. To combat this and minimize the susceptibility of oral biominerals
(teeth) to all forms of degradation, dentifrices have been marketed extensively over the years. These dentifrices
consist of any preparation used in cleansing teeth. However, the bulk of the constituent material utilized in said
products are designated excipients (inactive ingredients) due to their inability to actively reduce the risk for tooth
decay, periodontal disease, or lack of a significant therapeutic effect. By exploiting the natural biocompatibility of
both known/proposed dentifrice excipients and, essentially, activating these compounds through surface
functionalization and other means, production of pharmacons, or biologically active compounds, is possible. Such
materials possess newfound potential in terms of surface interaction, bioactivity, and bioadhesion, specifically for
enhancement of biomimetic remineralization and desensitization capabilities of current dentifrices. Said
modifications would ultimately supplement the overall effectiveness of dentifrices in terms of oral disease
prevention. This presentation contains an overview of the current dental literature while exploring advantages of
pursuing this particular strategy as well as identification of present research progress.
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A novel method of characterizing reactive amines in carbonaceous materials
Joseph Keppen
Chemistry
Carbon fiber reinforced polymers are the materials of choice for making lightweight objects without compromising
strength and rigidity, but the high cost of manufacturing is a barrier for widespread use in manufactured goods.
One strategy to make these composite materials more practical to manufacturers is to anchor functional groups
to the carbon fiber itself, making a chemical bond between the matrix and polymer possible. Determining the
extent of functionalization is an important parameter in developing new carbon fiber technology.
Material Functionalization for Life Science Application: Industrial, Applied, Pure, Educational & Computational
Chemistry
Khaled Rashwan
Chemistry
Surface functionalization has been an area of growing significance in materials chemistry over the past few
decades. Chemists in the field often focus on the fundamentals such as reaction mechanisms of material
functionalization (Pure Chemistry), or the application of these fundamentals to synthesize novel products (Applied
Chemistry). In addition, computational chemistry is a fast-expanding area of research. My PhD research to date
has embodied various aspects of material functionalization including the pure, applied, industrial, computational,
and educational research projects. This presentation highlights some key aspects of accomplishments in these
areas.
sp2 C-H activation and C-C coupling catalyzed by Cu(I) complex with the ambiphilic ligand 8 quinolyldimesitylborane
Sem Raj Tamang*
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dr. James D. Hoefelmeyer
The combination of 8-quinolyldimesitylborane with Cu(I)Cl forms Chloro[8-(dimesitylboryl)quinolineκN]Copper(I). This complex features an BCipsoCortho π-interaction at the Cu(I) center. This complex was observed to
be a highly active catalyst for the sp2 C-H activation of arenes (including benzene), and reaction with aryl halides
led to C-C heterocoupling of the arenes. Catalysis was observed at low loading of catalyst. Data of the catalytic
activity will be presented alongside data found in the literature, and initial comparison reveals that the Cu I
complex is quite active. The observation of catalysis suggests that the ambiphilic ligand, 8-quinolyldimesitylborane
supports copper in different redox states. These mechanistic possibilities will be discussed.
Session 7d: 11:00 am-12:30 pm - Muenster University Center CDC
How to Get Away With Rape
Katelyn Marie Troastle, Cassy Jerrett
Criminal Justice
"How to get away with Rape" is an extensive look at how rape culture interacts with social situations and its larger
effects on mediated messages that society receives daily. This presentation will offer perspective into the aspects
of power dynamics and how it relates to justice and the criminal/judicial system. By analyzing power dynamics
seen in the police force, racial differences, work environments, and celebrity status, we aim to show the
differences between societies perception of sexual violence, abusers, victims, and how this influences its
relationship to legal justice.
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The impact of functional group and haying on plant community composition and aboveground biomass
production
Eva L. Soluk*
Biology
The tallgrass prairies of the Great Plains have suffered a loss of at least 90% due to agricultural conversion. Many
restored prairies are managed with the use of a disturbance regime. Because prairie disturbances remove or
damage all or part of the aboveground biomass of the plants, the timing of the disturbance in combination with
plant phenology and growth form affects the overall impact of the disturbance. We tested how the interactive
effects of timing of disturbance (haying in May, July, and September) and functional group (C3 grasses, C4 grasses,
early flowering forbs, and late flowering forbs) impacted aboveground biomass production and plant community
composition in the early years of restoration in 2014 and 2015. We used a two-way ANOVA to test how the time
of haying and functional group affected hayed biomass and total annual aboveground biomass, and will use
ordination to determine how plant community composition varied among treatments and between years. We
found that the month of haying significantly impacted productivity for the hayed biomass and the total annual
aboveground biomass. Functional groups did not have a significant effect on hayed biomass or total annual
aboveground biomass. Preliminary results for the plant community composition demonstrate a transition from
primarily annual agriculture weeds, especially lamb's quarter, in 2014, to a significant proportion of tallgrass
prairie species, especially Canada wildrye, in 2015. Our results are consistent with those of other studies indicating
a shift from annual weed species to prairie species in the second year after seeding, but our results differ in that
functional group did not have a significant effect on aboveground biomass production while the month of haying
did. Longer-term evaluation of the plant community composition and aboveground biomass production will
enable us to more fully understand the impact that repeated disturbances have on the plant community.
The Effect of Agricultural Runoff on Fish in the Prairie Pothole Region
Jillian K. Farkas*
Biology
Agricultural tile drains expose wetlands to pesticides and other chemicals, affecting wildlife either directly through
pesticide toxicity, or indirectly by degrading habitat quality. Wetland habitat quality was measured using a South
Dakota Wetland Rapid Assessment Protocol, and fish abundance and diversity were sampled via fish traps and
seining. Genotoxicity was assessed by creating blood smears from fish to quantify the number of micronuclei, a
bioindicator signifying that stress occurred during cell division. I examined how habitat quality and fish abundance,
diversity, and genotoxicity varied among 18 wetlands receiving three levels of agricultural tile drain input. Results
indicated that tile drain wetlands have significantly lower habitat quality than reference sites (p < 0.05), however,
preliminary data indicate that fish abundance and diversity do not differ significantly among treatments.
Genotoxicity data is currently being analyzed, and physiological data obtained from future experiments may
provide further information on how agricultural runoff impacts fish populations.
Analysis of Rape Culture in Social Media and Television
Cassy Jerrett, Katelyn Marie Troastle
Criminal Justice
We live in a world that treats sexual offenses as if they were instances of sexual incontinence rather than an act
which is deeply seeded in our everyday culture. This can be seen in how the media views sexually motivated crimes
and the actual word choice that is used to describe the incident. This presentation seeks to explore how celebrity
survivors such as Kesha and Rihanna are treated in comparison to perpetrators such as Jared Fogele and Bill Cosby
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are depicted in mainstream media. This will show that there is a stark contrast between what we want to believe
about how victims are treated and how they are actually treated.
Top-Down Investing: Improving Asset Allocation in Stock Portfolios
Dustin Santjer
Finance
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Yewmun Yip
By examining the relationships between macroeconomic drivers of the economy and industry returns in the stock
market, I hope to identify a pattern or patterns for industry successes. By identifying certain time periods or
certain drivers of industry success, I hope to improve the overall asset allocation of stock portfolios.
Study Abroad Panel
Rachel Nurse, Mackenzie Huber, Ashley McKeown, Emily Pauli
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Dana Elliott
Students will discuss how their study abroad experiences have changed their college experience and opened doors
for future careers, as well as answer questions from the audience.
Session 7h: 12:00 pm-1:30 pm - Muenster University Center Pit Lounge
New York Senior Industry Showcase
Kristian Asfeldt†, Brianna Adams†, Walker Iversen†, John King†, Kelsey Mitteness†, Nick Manthe†, Jackie
Webb†, Nathanial Vogel†
Theatre
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Matthew Nesmith
The creative endeavor of the Senior Industry Showcase was to put together a collaborative performance of pieces
that demonstrate who we are as actors through the use of the education we have received as BFA Musical Theatre
students at the University of South Dakota. The performance, resulting from creative scholarship and research on
the art and business of theatre, was shared with current working industry professionals at Actors Connection in
New York City, who then also critiqued and gave feedback on our process. We also were able to share the
performance of our research with the Vermillion community, and members of the New York City community who
are not directly involved in the creative scholarship of the performing arts. The performance will be followed by a
talk-back in which we discuss our time in New York City, our preparation for the showcase, and answer questions
from the audience.
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Poster Session 2: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Muenster University Center
Poster 1
Automatic Cross-Platform Temperature Monitoring System for Scintillation and Germanium Detectors
Joseph Solomon Mammo†
Physics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jing Liu
Temperature regulation is very crucial for the operation of Germanium Detectors because leakage current that
exhibits at temperatures higher than the operational temperature may destroy Germanium crystals. Without an
automatic monitoring and logging system, detector temperatures have to be recorded by hand. Long term or
overnight operations are not possible in this case. An automatic cross-platform temperature monitoring system
was developed to solve this very problem. The monitoring system utilizes a state-of-the-art data acquisition
system, PT100 temperature sensors that can operate at liquid nitrogen temperature, and a custom built webbased cross platform graphical user interface used to monitor the temperature monitoring system from a Personal
Computer.
Poster 2
The History of Medieval and Renaissance Horns
Rebekah McLaughlin
Music
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: David Moskowitz
The Horn developed significantly during the Medieval and Renaissance Periods (c. 400-1600). This presentation
includes an examination of the materials used to manufacture the Horns, the design of the various types of Horns
and the societal function of the Horn. In these early periods, Horns were mostly made out of Animal horns, wood,
clay and metal. Of the Animal horns, the horns of rams and cattle were most common and the ivory tusks of
elephants were highly revered. Two horns made of wood were the Alphorn and the Shepherd's horn. Few are
extant of the Clay horns. The ancient art of crafting these horns had been lost throughout the centuries, so new
techniques had to be devised in order to make metal horns. The design of each Horn depended on the material.
Animal horns retained their natural shape. Wooden horns were either cut to be straight, or in the case of the
Alphorn, a curved tree was desired. Clay horns could be fashioned in any shape however, most kept the traditional
shape of animal horns. Some were coiled, as were many of the later metal horns. Coiling allowed crafters to make
longer horns that were easier to carry. The longer the horn, the more notes it could produce. Horns had many
functions in the Medieval and Renaissance Periods. They signaled danger, wares to sell, announced funerals and
town meetings, sounded curfews, led troops into battle, communicated across long distances and accompanied
religious activities. Hunting made extensive use of the Horn and began to develop horn calls that led to horns in
the orchestra. Horns also signifed rank and land ownership. Therefore, Horns of the Medieval and Renaissance
Periods developed in many important ways, from the material out of which they were made, to their design and
their function in society.
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Poster 3
Gender Differences of Social Anxiety among College Students
Robyn Dattilo, Alyssa Slusser
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gabrielle Strouse
One of the major concerns with social anxiety disorder (SAD) is that most individuals with the disorder seek or
receive no treatment (Grant et al., 2005). Most importantly, the presence of social anxiety can lead to issues with
overall life success. Social anxiety disorder is linked with increased rates of school dropout and decreased quality
of life, employment, well-being, workplace/school productivity, and socioeconomic status (Patel, Knapp,
Henderson, & Baldwin, 2002). The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of social anxiety among
male college students compared to female college students and if nothing else provide self-awareness among
individuals. The participants for this study will be current USD undergraduate and graduate students. Participants
will be given a short questionnaire to determine their anxiety level in different social situations as well as their
overall level of social anxiety. It is hypothesized that female USD undergraduate and graduate students will report
experiencing greater levels of social anxiety than male USD undergraduate and graduate students.
Poster 4
An Examination of Predictors of Prejudice against Transgender Individuals
Cylie Hanson
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jae Puckett
The term transgender is an umbrella term that encompasses many identities, such as trans women, trans men,
and genderqueer individuals. Research has started exploring the experiences of stigma encountered by
transgender individuals, however, very little research has examined what predicts attitudes towards this
population. In this study, we examined the association between significant key correlates of anti-transgender
prejudice (aggression levels/history of family violence) and transphobia, as well as variables that may help to
promote greater acceptance, such as prior contact with someone who is transgender and education on
transgender issues. We also explored the moderating effects of transgender education and prior contact on the
association between aggression/history of family violence and transphobia. The sample consisted of 216
participants (M=32, SD=11.96, range 18-74) who completed the survey via the internet. The results indicated that
aggression was related to higher levels of transphobia [r = .35, p<.01], whereas no significant association was
found between history of family violence and transphobia. Additionally, more education about transgender issues
and prior contact was associated with less transphobia [r = -.48, -.30, respectively, p < .01]. Furthermore,
transgender education was a significant moderator of the association between history of family violence and
transphobia (B=-12.74, p< .05), but not for the effects of aggression. Prior contact was a significant moderator for
both history of family violence and aggression (B=-55.51; -1.77, p< .05, respectively). These moderation analyses
revealed that prior contact and education may buffer the effects of past experiences, like family violence, as well
as personality level predictors of transphobia, such as proneness to aggression, on transphobic beliefs. The
implications of this study include developing programs and initiatives that can lead to a greater understanding
and acceptance of those who are transgender.
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Poster 5
Perceptions of Children from Different Family Configurations
Kristen Stanislav, Christopher McDonald
School of Education
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gabriel Strouse
Teachers' perceptions of a child can affect how they treat and behave toward that child. Research has shown that
teachers' perceive children from intact families differently than they do children from single parent families.
Children who live with both parents are expected to be better off socially, emotionally, and academically rather
than children who live with one parent. This can have lasting academic and social ramifications. The purpose of
this study is to investigate people's perceptions of a child's personality based on a child's family configuration.
Personality traits of interest are agreeableness, extraversion, and openness. The study hopes to answer the
following questions: do people perceive children's levels of openness and extraversion differently if they are from
an intact home, or from a single parent home? Are children from intact homes or single parent homes expected
to have different levels of agreeableness? Participants for this study will be randomly sampled from all graduate
students at USD. They will be asked to read descriptions of two fictitious children and their family configuration.
One from an intact parent home and the other that comes from a single parent home. After reading the
descriptions they will then complete a questionnaire about their perception of the children's personality. It is
hypothesized that people's perception of a child's personality regarding the traits of agreeableness, openness,
and extraversion will differ based on the child's family configuration. Children who come from intact families will
be viewed as more agreeable than children from single parent families. Whereas, children from single parent
homes are expected to be more open to experience and extraverted.
Poster 6
Me, Myself(ie), and I: A Study Exploring the Intersection of Age and Education Level with Social Media Usage.
Emma Mulhall, Renae Goldinn John
Education
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gabrielle Strousse
Does the age and education level of a person effect their social media usage? Does age and education level effect
a person's amount of self centered media posted on their social media sites? There is one definition needed to
understand this study: Self-Centered Media: Posts on social networks that originate and stem from the user. This
includes selfies, status updates, tweets, and photos that focus on the person posting, their life, habits, likes, and/or
problems. In the age of constant technological evolution, people are ever increasingly immersed in their phones,
laptops, tablets and other assorted devices; playing games and checking on their friends through various media
sites. What our research entails is looking into the participants social media habits and seeing if their age or level
of education has any effect on what they post, and how much time they spend on social media. Participants for
our study consist of college aged students attending the University of South Dakota, including but not limited to
the EDER 761 class. Also included will be samples from non-school attending populations found through social
media. The instrument of our study will be a short survey consisting of questions pertaining to the age, education
level, and social media habits of the participants. The goal of our study is to see if there is a correlation between
the age of a person, and/or their education level and how often they post self-centered media on a social site.
Our participant pool is rather limited, and we hope to engage the use of social media in order to expand upon our
sample. The designation of our research is mainly quantitative. Two qualitative questions are attached to allow
the participant to expand and explain some of their answers, as well as seeing if there are any common threads
present in opinions on social media usage.
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Poster 7
Green Tea Polyphenol EGCG Inhibits Extracellular Lactate Production and Cancer Cell Proliferation
Alex Kumar Verma
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Keith Miskimins
Most cancer cell lineages show an increased rate of glycolysis and increased extracellular lactate production, a
phenomenon known as the Warburg Effect. Previous work by the Miskimins lab has demonstrated that
intratumoral lactate production negatively correlates to tumor clearance in immunocompetent mice but not
immunodeficient mice in an HPV+ Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma model (Coppock et al. 2013). This
suggests that lactate in the tumor microenvironment inhibits the immune response to cancer cells by an unknown
mechanism. Other studies have demonstrated that extracellular lactate can aid cancer cell proliferation and
metabolism. Treatments that prevent an increase of lactate in the tumor microenvironment, such as
dichloroacetate, show an increase in immune-mediated tumor clearance (Coppock et al. 2013). The green tea
polyphenol Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has demonstrated numerous anti-cancer effects in multiple cancer
models. EGCG has shown antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activity both in vitro and in vivo. EGCG inhibits mTOR,
PI3K, Cyclin D1, and other key enzymes in cancer cell proliferation and survival (Van Aller et al. 2011). A key feature
of EGCG treatment is that it reduces expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), and enzyme key to lactate
production, in numerous cell lines. Therefore we propose that EGCG treatment in a human papillomavirus-positive
head and neck squamous cell carcinoma line will inhibit lactate production in the tumor microenvironment, inhibit
cancer cell proliferation, and potentiate tumor clearance by the immune system. A murine orpharyngeal epithalial
cell line transformed with the HPV proteins E6 and E7 and a mutant form of Ras (MEER line) was used to simulate
HPV+ HNSCC. Preliminary studies have shown that at concentrations above 30 AlexμM EGCG inhibits MEER cell
proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. EGCG also inhibited extracellular lactate levels in cultured MEER cells
and was able to reduce metformin-induced extracellular lactate production. Future experiments will focus on
glucose consumption, expression of LDHA, the effect of EGCG on cell signaling pathways, and will utilize animal
models to examine the impact of EGCG on immune-mediated tumor clearance in vivo.
Poster 8
Architecture : Interior and Exterior
Epiphany Knedler†
Art
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: John Banasiak
Architecture plays a large role as the structures which support our lives. Whether we are seeking protection from
the elements or looking for care at our home, these buildings provide a sense of reliability for all. Buildings vary
in design, purpose, and construction. Architects must take many aspects into consideration when creating plans
for a building, including purpose, environment, form, and aesthetics. There is an intersection between design and
function in architecture, where the end result must be striking and support utility. The dichotomy between interior
and exterior is often a difference in the public and private. Exteriors are what is shown to society, usually kept up,
while the interior is private, varying in views. Since exploring photography, I have been drawn to architecture and
structures. I use different compositional techniques to investigate buildings around the country. Depending on
the site I may be drawn to certain aspects of the structure; personal settings will be in their natural habitat with a
specific focus, while large structures could be seen as overwhelming edifices. The variety of architecture includes
utilitarian structures as well as personal aspects of the home. These photos were taken in different areas of the
country, which vary in culture, social structure, and economics. These photos explore a collection of interiors and
exteriors and the personalities of the locations.
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Poster 9
Identifying of bacterial communities influenced by isoflavonoids in the soybean rhizosphere using a
metagenomics analysis
Miyuraj Harishchandra HIkkaduwa Withanage*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Erliang Zeng
Evidence points to the services provided by rhizodeposits to be the main reason for maintaining the highest
microbial density in soils in close proximity to plant roots. Using RNAi gene silencing of isoflavone synthase (IFS)
gene, Isoflavonoids have been identified as a vital component in soybean rhyzodeposits that help soybean plant
roots retain advantageous interactions with surrounding microbiome. Our goal is to identify bacterial
communities retaining vital ecological relationships with soybean's growth and productivity based on the analysis
of microbial metagenomics data. The metagenomics data is the microbial whole genetic content recovered
directly from the environments using the next-generation sequencing (NGS). Metagenomics data sequenced from
soil samples was labelled as bulk soil (BULK), soil surrounding IFS-RNAi transformed soybean root (IFS-RNAi),
vector-reformed-control soybean root (VC) and wild type soybean roots (WT), depending on different treatments
applied. We analyzed microbial 16S rRNA metagenomics data using QIIME (Quantitative Insights into Microbial
Ecology) pipeline to obtain an OTU (Operational Taxonomic Unit) table for each sample. OTU is an operational
definition of a species or group of species inferred from sequence data. An OTU table records all OTUs that exist
in a sample. Normalized OTU tables were subjected to feature selection and machine learning frameworks to
extract out subset of OTUs that are sample specific. Next, we will use PICRUSt (Phylogenetic Investigation of
Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States), an open-source software, to investigate the biological
functions of those sample specific OTUs. Our framework is capable of discovering biologically significant patterns
from large microbial metagenomic data, which subsequently can be applied to variety of other big data in biology
to answer various biological questions.
Poster 10
Surgical Site Infections
Abby Pillar, Wes Johnson, Lane Culey, Haley Jorgensen, Matt Koch
Our research includes the background of surgical site infections (SSI's), preventative measures regarding SSI's, and
a comparison of a few Sanford facilities with their infection rates.
Poster 11
Gender Representations in Sports Advertising: A Content Analysis of Super Bowl Advertisements from 20102015
Tyler Meints
Communication Studies
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Shane Semmler
This study uses Gerber's (1976) cultivation theory and Bandura's (1994) social cognitive theory to investigate how
female and male characters are represented in Super Bowl commercials from 2010-2015. A quantitative content
analysis of the commercials' individual characters' gender, age, setting in which they are placed, and products
they contact revealed that male characters outnumber female characters, female characters are seen outside the
home more often than inside, female characters are depicted as younger than male characters, and that both
female and male characters most often come into contact with food and auto supply products. Results are
discussed in terms of media consumption and its impact on a viewer's perception of the world, television's
influence on behavior, and media's transition from traditional to more progressive depictions of women.
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Poster 12
Effect of an invasive plant across ecosystems: From land to water and back
Lauren Henning*
Biology
Interactions between consumers and resources in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems have typically been studied
separately. However, evidence suggests that aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are indeed linked, and consumerresource interactions can cross ecosystem boundaries, producing effects in both systems. Species with life stages
in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, such as dragonflies, can link the effects of interactions across
ecosystems. This study will examine how invasion by a non-native terrestrial plant species near wetlands alters
the aquatic community of the adjacent wetland ecosystem, via a dragonfly-mediated pathway. We will create
artificially invaded riparian (e.g. nearshore) plant communities using a mix of native and non-native plants next to
artificial wetland pools and measure the aquatic insect response.
Poster 13
The Resurgence of Virtual Reality and its Potential Implications for Pedagogy and Research
Nathan Bedoya
Sustainability
Since their inception in the 1950's, virtual reality devices have typically lacked immersion and public accessibility.
However, the introduction of the Oculus Rift prototype in 2012 signaled that this trend could soon be over.
Consumer acclaim toward the Rift led to major corporations and companies such as Google, HTC, and Samsung to
release their own head mounted displays in 2015. This resurgence of interest and competition in virtual reality
technologies is currently driving the development of deeply immersive devices that are increasingly accessible by
the public. By having access to these devices, educators and researchers have also been given access to new
methods of carrying out their work. My research examines the efficacy of these new methods compared between
themselves and to traditional methods used in education. More specifically, I am interested in testing whether
virtual reality applications are more effective in teaching topics related to sustainability, such as environmental
communication and social equity, compared to traditional methods. The findings of this research could then
potentially lead to the development of new pedagogical strategies using integrated virtual reality components.
Poster 14
Design and preliminary application of a customized genotyping array for imputation-based genome wide
association studies: the Axiom-NL array
Jeffrey J. Beck
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Gareth Davies
Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have played a pivotal role in identifying common human genetic
variants, especially single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), associated with complex human traits and major
disease. A cost-effective approach for generating data for GWAS is through a high-density SNP genotyping
platform, such as the Axiom array provided by Affymetrix, Inc., followed by imputation. The Avera Institute for
Human Genetics has recently designed a custom array for the Axiom platform distinctively for the Dutch
population. In conjunction with our collaborators at the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR), the Axiom-NL array was
designed to include 550,000 markers from a core imputation backbone, 60,000 well-established makers from the
UK Biobank, and other markers of particular interest totaling 671,222 SNPs. Preliminary application of the AxiomNL array was conducted with DNA extracted from 272 Dutch saliva samples collected with the commercially
available Oragene kit. DNA saliva extracts were quantitated via a double-stranded method, normalized and input
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at 10ng/uL (20uL) on the Axiom platform. Of the 272 samples tested, 268 (144 female, 124 male) samples were
genotyped (98.5%). Mean values for dish quality control (Dish QC), quality control call-rate and call-rate for passing
samples was 95.7%, 99.4%, 99.3%, respectively. Out of the four samples that were not genotyped, two were
received dry and two performed sub-optimally despite repeated efforts of re-extraction and genotyping,
indicative of poor sample quality. Investigative GWAS and subsequent statistical analyses will be conducted on
the data generated for the 268 genotyped individuals combined with representative phenotypic data generated
by the NTR. In conclusion, the Avera-NL array has shown to be an effective method for generating quality highdensity SNP genotypic data from saliva samples collected from members of the Dutch population.
Poster 15
A New Detection Mechanism involving Keto-Enol Tautomerization: Selective Fluorescence Detection of Al(III)
by Dehydration of Secondary Alcohols in Mixed DMSO/Aqueous Media
Madhubabu Alaparthi*
Chemistry
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Andrew G. Sykes
This research involves the synthesis of luminescent sensors that detect the presence of cations of biological or
environmental concern. 1,8-anthraquinone-18-crown-5, 1, was reduced using NaBH4 to yield the secondary
alcohol, 2, which was characterized by spectroscopic methods and the structure confirmed by X-ray
crystallography. Compound 2 reacts with Al(III) cation to form the anthracene fluorophore in solution, 3, via
dehydration of the secondary alcohol, and results in a strong blue emission, acting as a chemodosimeter for Al(III).
Compound 3 is the emissive enol tautomer of the keto form, compound 4, which is more stable over time.
Compound 4 was also synthesized by the reduction of 1 with Fe/AcOH or the reduction of 2 with HCl. Keto/enol
tautomerization was compared in different solvents, and competition studies reveal that compound 2 produces a
blue emission exclusively with the strongly Lewis acid Al(III) ion and at relatively low pH.
Poster 16
Palladium and the Analog Experience
Aaron Caleb Packard*
Art
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: John Banasiak
This project is an exploration into the practice of traditional palladium printing techniques using digitally produced
negatives created from traditional analog film. Through this exploration I hope to gain a proficiency with the
technique as well as gain expanded knowledge of the process in order to pass this information on to others in the
future. The palladium printing process has been widely used since the 1870s but with the introduction of digital
imaging this technique, like many others were disregarded as a viable aesthetic language. It is amazing how much
traditional technique and facility has been lost in the past 15 to 20 years of excitement in the new digital processes.
Of late there has arisen an overwhelming desire to not only return to many of the traditional processes but to
combine them with digital technology. I am involved in using what I know and will learn from both the digital and
traditional photo process, to invent my own use, language, and dialect in the medium of photography. This
technique is but one answer to a question of texture, the physical representation and tangible evidence of the
photographic image, the true document product of the process. While the digital image is stable in its silicon
electronic binary form it doesn't as much interact with the observer in the physical world, it is in an etherial state
of existence without holding physical form. The print has the texture of existence, and whether of a traditional
process or a digital output, the observer can acquire more of an individual experience with the print than with the
electronic screen of the monitor.
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Poster 17
The South Dakota Constitutional Revision Commission, 1969-1975
Thayme Watson‡
Political Science
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Donald Dahlin
The South Dakota Constitutional Revision Commission was created in 1969 with the intent of studying the South
Dakota Constitution and offering suggestions for simplifying and updating language. The ultimate goal of the
commission was to present possible constitutional amendments to the state legislature. There had been
discussions of such a committee for decades, but it took until the Kneip administration for any real action to be
taken. The Commission consisted of experts from state universities and legislators. The process of constitutional
change is significant because it included all branches of government, experts on the subject, and approval by the
public in an election. This is illustrated in the 1972 Election where the Commission for a vote brought four separate
amendments forth by the general public. The Commission created pamphlets to explain to the public the proposed
changes. All measures passed. The changes introduced by the Commission still impact the state of South Dakota
today and the process of involving experts and all branches of government can be followed in the future.
Poster 18
Aesthetics and Usability
Briana Nelson Kraayenbrink*
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Doug Peterson
Research on the connection between aesthetics and usability focuses on how aesthetics influence perceptions of
usability. Several studies show that a product's aesthetics can influence pre-use perceptions of usability and how
these perceptions of usability can change during or after using a product (Kuruso and Kashimura, 1995; Tractinsky,
1997; Tractinsky, Katz, & Ikar, 2000; Chawda, Craft, Cairns, Rüger, & Heesch, 2005; Hartmann, Sutcliffe, & De
Angeli, 2007; Kurtz, 2010). Individuals may overlook usability problems in aesthetically pleasing products,
triggering beliefs that a product is better than it really is (Tractinsky, Katz, & Ikar; Norman, 2004). To further
examine the relationship between aesthetics and usability and how it applies to mobile device applications, the
current study will collect participant ratings of aesthetics and perceived usability a priori and posterior. Additional
research (Isen, 2000) suggests that an individual's mood can influence his or her perceptions of aesthetics and
usability. Participants will complete an affect scale, PANAS - Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule (which
measures the participants current mood), prior to their participation in the study and after. The concern over the
interaction between aesthetics and positive affect is that they could influence the results of usability studies. If an
individual has a positive affect he or she may perceive a product easier to use since he or she can more effectively
reach a desired outcome. Participants in usability studies with a positive affect would be more likely to rate
products easier to use than participants with a negative affect. An understanding of how mood influences the
relationship between aesthetics and usability could be applied to current product research and development. The
goal would be to help create a user experience that encourages a positive mood or affect. Usage of aesthetics and
perceived usability scales can assist usability researchers with their work so they can guide design and functionality
decisions during the product development process.
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Poster 19
The Problem with Sitting: A Public Health Issue Regarding Sedentary Behavior in College Students
Dana L. Vandenberg,
Health Sciences
With the introduction of new technologies, changes in transportation, and a shift toward less physically
demanding jobs, a new paradigm in physical activity has emerged over the past few decades. Since the 1970s, the
percentage of desk jobs has increased from 20% to over 60% in recent years and the number of hours spent
watching television, using computers, and driving vehicles continue to increase (Owen, Sparling, Healy, Dunstan,
& Matthews, 2010). While the introduction of these activities has simplified our lives both at work and at home,
these activities and others have contributed significantly to the average time Americans spend sitting. New
epidemiological research indicates that long-term health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and
cancer, may result from high levels of sedentary behavior (Owen, et. al., 2010). This discovery is cause for great
concern in the public health field as sedentary behavior can affect all populations and has become more common
among young adults (Matthews, Chen, Freedson, Buchowski, Beech, Pate, & Troiano, 2010). The purpose of this
project is to define sedentary behavior, describe the magnitude and scope of this growing problem, and discuss
the issue among the college student population. In addition, this project looks to explore current and/or potential
intervention options and ultimately justify sedentary behavior in college students as an important public health
concern.
Poster 20
Influencing Anxiety by Altering Serotonin in the Amygdala
Jack Sternburg
Anxiety associated with amphetamine withdrawal can make individuals more likely to relapse. If the anxiety from
amphetamine withdrawal was alleviated, then it could help individuals withdrawing from amphetamines avoid
returning to the drug or relapsing. It is known that amphetamine withdrawal also causes anxiety-like behavior in
rats. Furthermore, amphetamine-withdrawn rats show increased stress-induced serotonin in the central nucleus
of the amygdala as compared to control rats. Whether the increase in central amygdala serotonin causes the
increase in anxiety is not known. Therefore, the goal of the project was to test if increasing serotonin in the central
amygdala would increase anxiety-like behavior in drug naive rats. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats had a surgically
placed bilateral cannula into the amygdala. After a recovery time, the rats were acclimated to being handled
during the infusion by being infused with the vehicle solution (artificial cerebrospinal fluid) for three days before
the test day. On test day, the rats were bilaterally infused with either vehicle (0.5 μl per side) or paroxetine (0.5
μl of 0.5 μΜ per side) to increase serotonin levels, and forty minutes after the infusion the rats' anxiety-like
behavior was measured on the elevated plus maze (EPM). Finally, the rats' brains were removed and sectioned in
order to confirm the cannula placement. Findings suggest that infusion of paroxetine into the central amygdala
does not affect anxiety-like behavior, since rats with paroxetine infused into the central amygdala spent the same
amount of time in the open arms of the EPM as compared to the controls. However, infusion of serotonin in the
neighboring basal amygdala revealed reduced time in the open arms of the EPM, indicative of increased anxietylike behavior. Overall, the results show a causal relationship between basal amygdala serotonin (but not in the
central amygdala) and increased anxiety-like behavior. It could be the case that, in developing a pharmacological
treatment for anxiety associated with amphetamine withdrawal, the basal amygdala is a key brain region and the
central amygdala does not play a role.
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Poster 21
The Effect of Flipped Classroom on Undergraduate Success and Achievement.
Majdi Almalki
Educators are constantly trying to come up with new methods of teaching to make the education more enjoyable
and efficient to the learner. One of these methods is the flipped class, it "moves the lectures outside the
classrooms and uses learning activities to move practice with concepts inside the classroom" (Strayer, 2012, p.
171 as cited in Thompson. & Mombourquette, 2014). In this kind of classes, the most of the work become on the
learner than the instructor. It has been designed to let learners have a little bit of control on what they are learning
and also "create a classroom experience that inspires lifelong learning" (Thompson. & Mombourquette. 2014, par.
2). The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of a flipped class methods on the undergraduate success and
achievement. The participant of this study will be the students of the class EDER 761 with no specification to
gender, race, family class or any other type of categories. The students will be answering a questionnaire to
determine if the assumption of the effectual flipped class on the undergraduate student's success and
achievement. References Findlay-Thompson, S., & Mombourquette, P. (2014). Evaluation of a flipped classroom
in an undergraduate business course. Business Education & Accreditation, 6(1), 63-71.
Poster 22
HIV/AIDS in the United Kingdom and United States
Elena Nancy Alonso
Health Sciences
The current research will explore social stigma and discrimination suffered by HIV positive people in the United
Kingdom and United States. In addition, the management, preventative techniques and complications that affect
a vast majority of HIV infected patients will be researched. The main focus of this research is to analyze how
discrimination towards HIV infected individuals affects them socially, psychologically and physically. The social
stigma attached to HIV diagnosis impedes medical treatment in HIV positive patients, increases the mortality rate,
and leads to intolerance in the community. Additionally, discrimination stimulates violence, psychological abuse
and intolerance in HIV infected individuals. Research also revealed that unwanted disclosure of HIV condition
leads to feelings of shame, depression and suicidal thoughts. Infected individuals interviewed in various articles
report fear of being discriminated against family members, friends or coworkers. Ignorance on how HIV is
transmitted in the general public has lead them to believe that main factors that cause an individual to become
infected is through practicing promiscuous behavior and being homosexual. The significance of understanding
social stigma experienced by HIV infected individuals living around the world is necessary to provide better
treatments and to arrange for support groups that will help HIV patients feel a sense of belonging in society.
Poster 23
Level of Happiness Throughout College
Aimee Wieczorek
Psychology
The purpose of this study is to use the PERMA scale and other various scales to measure the average college
student's happiness throughout one year, so that we may determine which factors seem to have the most impact.
Martin Seligman proposed 5 influencing factors using the acronym PERMA: Positive emotion, Engagement,
Relationships, Meaning, and Achievement. Seligman theorizes that if one feels satisfaction in all of the above
categories then they are, in general, happy, and this is what I would like to find throughout the course of this
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study. Martin Seligman's PERMA scale should apply the same to students completing a year of college as it does
to people going through the years of their life. I will be studying student's emotion, their involvement in
extracurricular activities, their relationships of the romantic kind and with roommates and others, their feeling of
meaning, and their achievements from life in general and to an academic standpoint. It is my belief that all of
these types of questions will accurately predict a person's level of happiness and their future performance in
school. In order to complete this study, subjects will fill out a survey every couple weeks that will ask each of the
PERMA questions and additional questions that will be more in-depth. Sending out the survey every couple weeks
is a way for us to track major changes in a student's life that could potentially influence their happiness. By the
end of the study I should have an accurate description of which of the five PERMA factors impact happiness the
most. I hypothesize that out of Saligman's factors, relationships will have the largest significance in the subjects'
lives.
Poster 24
Erythropoietin Immobilized Nano-fibrous Scaffold for Tissue Regeneration
Yangxi Liu*
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Hongli Sun
Under tissue engineering, bone regeneration is a vast field comprised of many challenges especially in drug
delivery applications. Current standard surgical procedure uses bone grafts to repair any bone damage;
unfortunately, negative side effects arise with this procedure including increased inflammation process and poor
vascularization. To address this challenge, we insist on treating these conditions through drug delivery to deliver
erythropoietin (EPO) and ARA290 to gauge macrophage mediated inflammation and angiogenesis. Inflammation
and angiogenesis are two primary target processes for tissue repair as described in previous research; the ability
to influence these two components resides in stimulating macrophages and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).
ARA290 is an eleven-peptide protein that is derived from recombinant EPO and is believed to contain essential
signals that makes it as effective as EPO. We hope to develop innovative therapeutic strategy by investigating the
new synthetic peptide, ARA290, effects on macrophages activation and MSCs differentiation to enhance
challenged bone healing.
Poster 25
Immune to Health: Antimicrobial Resistance in the United States
Rebecca Buechler
Medical Biology
Antimicrobial drugs have revolutionized the world's ability to treat patients for bacterial or microbial infections.
Consequentially, the discovery of antimicrobial drugs has saved millions of lives. However, due to misuse and
overuse, bacterial strains have built an immunity to such drugs. This issue poses as a threat to public health as
drug resistance has the potential to undermine our capability to treat both dangerous and everyday infections.
Health professionals in countries around the world are experiencing the repercussions of weakening antibiotic
effectivity. Specifically, in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) estimate the
magnitude of this issue to be at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths. As bacterial strains continue to evolve,
we must develop strategies to overcome and prevent resistance. The purpose of this project is to define
antimicrobial drugs, summarize the prevalence and scope of resistance in the United States, and explore
interventions that effectively respond to this threat to public health.
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Poster 26
Self interest and its effects on society's well-being
David Bruce
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Mandie Weinandt
The question discussed heavily throughout economic thought is whether people acting in their own self interest
is good or bad for society's well-being. My paper will dive into this question and use evidence from both sides in
attempt to reach a relevant answer for today's society. I will not be discussing whether humans act in self interest
but instead accept that they do and look solely at the effects of these actions. Evidence from different economic
schools of thought as well as examples of people acting in self interest and how it affected society will be used to
help reach a conclusion. Through this research I will come to a conclusion about the effects of self interest based
on my interpretation of the evidence.
Poster 27
Pertussis: A Public Health Presentation
Andrea Rae Fothergill
Health Sciences
Pertussis is a highly contagious disease and is spread by droplets from a cough or sneeze by a person who is
infected. This disease can also be contracted by contact with saliva, phlegm, or objects that have been
contaminated by someone who is infected. Infants are especially prone to contracting pertussis from the everyday
contact they have with an adult. Pertussis is not a disease that only affects children; it affects people of all ages.
However, infants under the age two months are at a higher risk of contracting pertussis because they are not yet
able to receive the vaccine. The symptoms of this disease depend on the age of the person infected. Newborns
and young infants are the most susceptible to the severe complications including: apnea, encephalopathy, and
pneumonia. Pertussis is and infectious, sometimes fatal, disease that can be prevented. Research shows that
through vaccinations, reporting cases and education are interventions to prevent the spread of pertussis. There
will always be debates on the schedules for vaccinations and boosters and who benefits from them, but it is
important to remember that infants do not have an option for protection until they are at least two months old.
Recently the recommendations related to who should receive the pertussis vaccine has expanded to include:
adolescents, pregnant women, adults in close contact with infants, and adults 65 and older. Vaccination is the
most successful intervention in regards to pertussis because it can reduce communicability. By reporting cases a
single pertussis case can be controlled immediately and precautions can be made to prevent an outbreak from
occurring. Educational programs can also be beneficial by increasing awareness.
Poster 28
Rape Culture and the Millennial Generation
Katelyn Marie Troastle
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Cindy Struckman-Johnson
Using an anonymous online survey of a convenience sample of college students administered through PsychData
and the SONA system, this study will aim to understand the nature and value attached to sexual consent among
Millennials. We will seek insights into the consent culture specifically at USD, and will use statistical analyses to
pinpoint variables that may play a role in the development of consent culture. The survey asks participants to
rate the importance of several variables (specific amounts of alcohol consumption, emotional stress, and peer
pressure) in seeking consent and in the ability to provide consent. We will investigate differences by gender, Greek
membership, and average weekly alcohol consumption of the respondents. Through analysis of these data, we
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hope to contribute to scholarly knowledge about the present consent culture in the U.S. Such research is
important, given that 2.78 million sexual assaults and rapes of men and 17.7 million sexual assaults and rapes of
women have been documented in the past year. (Rape, Assault, & Incest National Network) The study has the
potential for theoretical implications within the literature on sexual consent, along with practical implications for
anti-violence advocates. For example, studies suggest that sexual assaults tend to drop by approximately 10% in
cities that have implemented progressive consent campaigns. What types of campaigns are most likely to be
effective on college campuses, including at USD? We hope this study will be a valuable addition to this line of
research. Preliminary research was presented on this topic at IdeaFest 2015 this expanded study aims to explain
the effects of rape culture more in depth, by using a significantly larger sample size and different data analytics.
Poster 29
Gender Differences in Theory of Mind
Haley N. Schwenk, Kelsey E. Hennig, Taylor A. Gustafson, Shanel M. Goranowski, Hayden M. Anderson
Psychology
Theory of mind, or social cognition, incorporates the ability to understand and predict others' thoughts, feelings,
and intentions (Ridlinger & McBride, 2015, Dziobek et al., 2006). Engaging in theory of mind helps individuals
successfully navigate social interactions and avoid interpersonal conflicts. Previous research suggests that women
have a more outward social orientation which may influence their motivation for and ability to engage in
mentalization (Ridlinger & McBride, 2015). Women tend to be more accurate than men when judging facial
emotions from images (Kirkland, Peterson, Baker, Miller, & Pulos, 2013; Hall, Hutton, & Morgan, 2010). Women
also tend to have higher levels of empathy (Rueckert & Naybar, 2008). Previous studies of gender differences in
social cognition have primarily utilized static visual images limiting their ability to generalize to real-life settings.
The Movie for the Assessment of Social Cognition (MASC; Dziobek et al., 2006) is an ecologically valid, video-based
test for the evaluation of theory of mind abilities. The movie depicts four friends gathering for a dinner party and
asks viewers to answer multiple-choice questions about the characters' thoughts, feelings, and intentions. In the
present study, approximately 65 male and female college students will watch the MASC and respond to questions
about male-male interactions, male-female interactions, and female-female interactions. We hypothesize that
female participants will be more accurate in their judgement of the characters' thoughts, feelings, and intentions
in the MASC. We will compare the accuracy of male and female responses using t-tests to determine if gender
differences exist. Results will help further our understanding of gender differences in theory of mind by utilizing
an ecologically valid test of social cognition. Limitations and considerations for future research will be provided.
Poster 30
The Effects of Exercise on Stress in College Students
Abbey Smith, Kaitlin Senn
Research has shown that exercise affects levels of stress. The purpose of this study is to better understand the
relationship that exercise has on stress levels in college students. The poster presentation focuses on the amount
of exercise that is correlated with lower levels of stress in students attending the University of South Dakota.
Participants in the study were surveyed at the University of South Dakota's wellness center, and were asked to
provide demographic information, information about their weekly workouts, and current levels of perceived
stress.
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Poster 31
Consumer Response to Anthropomorphic Brand Mascots
Kayla Wyffels‡
Marketing
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: William Jones
Many brands use anthropomorphic brand mascots in their logos to serve as the face of their brand. However,
research is limited as to how consumers respond to these brand mascots. This research serves to look at whether
the addition of a brand mascot influences consumers' relational feelings towards logos that contain brand mascots
compared to logos that do not. Todd Handy and his colleagues (2008) used EEG neuroscience technology to look
at how consumers' brains responded to logos. They found that people rapidly and hedonically evaluate logos. We
want to take this a step further to see if the addition of a brand mascot will cause relational processing to take
place, even for unfamiliar logos. The neuroscience technology of EEG will be used to measure the event related
potentials that are recorded in response to the participants viewing the stimulus. As the electrodes attached to
the participant's scalp record brain activity, the participants will be presented with two sets of stimuli. One group
of stimuli will contain logos with brand mascots and the other group will contain logos that have no brand mascot.
The results will allow us to pinpoint exactly which parts of the brain are in use during the participant's response.
The use of neuroscience technology in the field of marketing research has recently become more prevalent.
Available research using this technology, especially research pertaining to brand mascots and logos, is severely
limited. This study serves to offer a new perspective on the already existing research of these topics.
Poster 32
Tularemia: Active surveillance of ticks from small mammals in Lower Brule, South Dakota
Aaron Fleischer, Lauren Maestas*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Hugh Britten
Tularemia is a plague-like infectious disease caused by the bacterium, Francisella tularensis. This bacterium has
been divided into four subspecies, two of which are of particular interest in human disease. One, F. tularensis
tularensis (type A), is primarily terrestrial, whereas F. tularensis holarctica (type B) is most often aquatic. The type
A strain has a high incidence in South Dakota and is the more infectious of the two strains. Infections are caused
most frequently via contact with infected wildlife, consumption of contaminated water, or bites from vector
arthropods; aerosolized forms are also possible, making this a viable agent of bioterrorism. It has even been noted
that as few as ten organisms of F. tularensis tularensis are needed to cause illness in humans. Relatively recently,
there have been outbreaks of the type A strain in black-tailed prairie dogs. The purpose of this study is to establish
a viable surveillance system for F. tularensis and to identify its prevalence in ticks from small mammals on the
Lower Brule Indian Reservation in South Dakota. To our knowledge, this is the first study of this nature to be done
in the state. Using real-time PCR, one hundred tick samples will be examined. This technique is more cost-effective
and is, in this case, more specific than general PCR, allowing us to examine three genes-ISFtu2, 23kDa, and tul4which are species-specific and used to detect F. tularensis. It is hypothesized that F. tularensis will be prevalent in
the ticks; however, due to the terrestrial nature of the black-tailed prairie dogs, type A will be more commonly
found than type B. Testing for the presence of F. tularensis in arthropod vectors feeding on a potential rodent
reservoir is essential for the understanding of the ecology of sylvatic cycles of Tularemia in South Dakota.
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Poster 33
Rural Economic Development: A Case Study from Winner, South Dakota
Jacob K. Naasz
Political Science
Performed in the summer of 2015, this economic development survey and project plan was performed in
conjunction with the South Central Development Corporation. The goal of this project was to measure the
economic health of the community and to find new ways to reinvigorate the economy. Additionally, community
input was taken to try and ask what the main economic concerns for the future of the area are.
Poster 34
Immersive audio to carry audiences to different worlds
Tyler John Micheel*
Theatre
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Daniel Huston
The funds I received from the Creative Research grant went towards buying a new audio interface for the Knutson
theatre here on campus. This allows for a more fulfilling sound design experience for students and will allow
students to gain experience doing multitrack sound recordings, which wasn't possible previously. After recognizing
the physical limitations of our current equipment and its inability to execute my creative vision through sound, I
did extensive research on sound equipment vendors to search for the system necessary to meet my creative
vision. This project allows greater flexibility to create a fully immersive environment for the audience. This
equipment will be used to greatly enhance the communication of the story and have a more fulfilling impact on
the audiences' emotions for this production. Early tests of its creative capabilities were done by using this
equipment in the upcoming production of Young Frankenstein, the use of which better prepared me for use in my
MFA Thesis Project: The Pillowman. Using a new iMac and software that was already been purchased by the
department I updated the digital audio workstation in the Knutson theatre for greater flexibility and purpose. I
have bought a new audio interface for the computer which would allow for us to upgrade from 6 outputs to 10
which will greatly increase our ability to place speakers more specifically. With this interface, it will also be able
to record things such as performances and auditions for later use by our actors, musical theatre majors, and audio
design majors.
Poster 35
Reasoning Behind LGBTQ Methamphetamine Use
Jennifer Lea Calvert
Addiction Studies
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: John Korkow
This study discusses why the LGBTQ population might be more vulnerable to methamphetamine use disorder than
other populations. Research has shown that LGBTQ populations are at higher risk for methamphetamine use
disorder, this study looks at the reasons behind this issue, and possible methods to address this issue.
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Poster 36
Healthcare Waste Management Dashboard
Courtney Buchholz, Samra Eiler, Dominic Jankowski, Darrion Jones, Lisa Patterson
Our poster analyzes several dashboard measurements for evaluating healthcare waste management and disposal.
In our analysis, we compared three healthcare organizations from Ireland, Cork University Hospital in Corcaigh,
St. Vincent's Private Hospital in Dublin, and University Hospital Galway in Galway. Within these hospitals, four
different types of healthcare waste were discussed, food waste, general landfill waste, healthcare risk waste, and
mixed recyclables. Specifically, the number of available waste bins for each type of waste, the amount of waste
produced, the average cost savings for improvement programs, the amount of different categories of food waste,
and the cost per ton for different waste disposal routines in each hospital were analyzed and illustrated for
simplified understanding. This poster was created to better understand waste removal techniques and possible
improvement programs that could be implemented to reduce the amount of waste in each category discussed.
Poster 37
A Statistical Analysis of Religion Participation and Personal Happiness
Joslynn A. Clauson
Economics
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Allgrunn
Religious preferences and religious devotion can be viewed as economic goods with very high temporal costs in
this life, but potentially higher rewards in the next. Many religions also focus on improving the quality of ones
present life, by theoretically promoting feelings of peace, contentment, faith, and trust. Since the next life is not
measurable, my study will focus on the theoretical benefits of religion in this life. Through my research, I intend
to analyze levels of self-reported degree of religious devotion across a variety of social groups, with respect to the
self-reported degree of happiness of the individual. I hope to find a relationship between these two variables,
and assess the different ways religion impacts people across a variety of social groups.
Poster 38
SSB (Sugar-Sweetened Beverages) Excise Tax: Reforming American Health
Patrick Wilson
Interdisciplinary Science
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Silvana Rosenfeld
Sugar-sweetened beverages, or SSBs pose a problem to American society as they contribute to the rapidly
increasing epidemic of obesity. SSBs are part of a system that has found a financial loophole to keep a continuing
supply of consumers. SSBs contain great amounts of high fructose corn syrup, which is subsidized by the United
States government. With the availability and low cost of high fructose corn syrup, SSB producers are able to create
a product that is attainable to many consumers, regardless of their financial situation. By imposing a $0.01 per
ounce tax on SSBs, the rate of consumption would decrease by a significant margin. Berkeley, CA already utilizes
a $0.01 per ounce tax on SSBs, and a similar model could be created on a nationwide level. The $0.01 per ounce
tax is in the form of an excise tax. Taxing the producers of SSBs is more effective than a sales tax because it causes
an increase in price that the consumer actually sees prior to purchasing their beverage. The money generated
from the excise tax placed on SSB producers could then be earmarked for educational programs, such as obesity
prevention.
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Poster 39
Les Misérables: An Analysis of the Historical and Religious Effects on a Literary Mirror into a Troubled Society
Julia Gorham
Modern Languages
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kris Knisely
This presentation focuses on the literary analysis of the first two subsections of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables. The
analysis of the original text of the newly-popular work depends on the presented effects of the historical and
religious contexts of the nineteenth century. More specifically, the discussion examines the enlarged role of the
'romantic' writer in leading a troubled society, plagued with governmental revolutions and the fall of several allpowerful empires, towards religious truth through the vehicle of allegorical fiction. This core goal of the romantic
literary movement is explored in terms of being a 'revolt' against the society of the past: a society characterized
by materialism, the growth of democracy and capitalism, and also by secularism. The religious nature of Hugo's
work is further revealed through examination of character development. Jean Valjean, the main protagonist,
represents the archetypal romantic hero who overcomes personal and societal challenges to become an
improved, wiser individual. Additionally, the project makes use of numerous direct French citations, translated
into English, to further solidify the underlying theme of the novel. The final conclusion drawn is that through the
use of a highly intentional plot scheme and characters developed as metaphoric Christ-figures and Christfollowers, Les Misérables deliberately parallels the Bible and suggests an underlying moral of constantly striving
to better oneself - anything but coincidence for a novel written during an era fallen into disarray.
Poster 40
Brand Loyalty and Advertisement Effectiveness
Megan T. Lewno
Psychology
The purpose of this study is to examine if brand loyal consumers are influenced in a different way than their nonloyal counterparts in terms of advertisement effectiveness. The goal is to see if participants will rate the
advertisement as more effective based solely on the brand name or the logo, no matter the actual content within
the ad. The focus is in on three main categories of consumer products- shampoo, toothpaste and shoe brands.
These categories of products were chosen, because many consumers within these categories are either highly
loyal to one brand or not loyal in any significant way. Brand loyal people are those who buy a certain brand of a
product more than 70% of the time. They will be the main focus of this study. A survey will be used to study
various factors that will show how brand loyalty influences a consumer's decision-making processes. The aspects
in the advertisements that draw people's eyes, measured using a heat map, will be collected. The effectiveness of
each advertisement and the time that it actually took the participant to come to this decision will also be collected.
Preliminary data will be collected by the end of the current spring semester. The hypothesis is that highly brand
loyal people will rate advertisements of their specific brand higher than that of their competitors based solely on
the brand name. The results of this study, if the hypothesis is proven to be true, will have implications to
marketing. The brand name could play a major role in the actual effectiveness of an advertisement.
Poster 41
College Involvement: What's It To You?
Nicole Bottjen, Nicolas Steilen
At institutions of higher education, students have opportunities to become involved on their campus with
different organizations and activities. This raises the question of does being involved impact students' academic
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success. In this study we will look to see if a correlation exists between an undergraduate student's level of
extracurricular involvement measured in hours with grade point average. Participants will be current and former
students of higher education. Participants will be asked to fill out an online survey that will include questions
about the type of institution they attended, hours per week spent involved with various campus organizations
and activities, average hours per week spent studying, and their cumulative grade point average.
Poster 42
The role of negative urgency in the relationship between borderline traits and alcohol problems.
Elise Hocking*
Clinical Psychology
The current study investigated the relationship between alcohol problems, borderline personality traits, and
negative urgency (a facet of impulsivity). The association between substance abuse and borderline traits has been
well established, but the underlying mechanisms linking the two disorders are not well understood. Previous
researchers have suggested that impulsivity, a characteristic of both disorders, could account for this relationship
(Bornovalova, Lejuez, Daughters, Rosenthal, & Lynch, 2005; Trull, Sher, Minks-Brown, Durbin, & Burr, 2000).
Negative urgency, which is defined as a tendency toward rash action when experiencing emotional distress, may
be the specific component of impulsivity linking to the two constructs, due to the affective instability that
characterizes borderline personality. A path model was hypothesized, with an indirect path from borderline
personality traits to alcohol use and problems, via negative urgency. The data was collected from 441
undergraduate students ages 18 and over, using self-report reliable and valid measures. Fit statistics indicated
that the model was a reasonable fit for the data [χ2 (2) = 7.14, p = .03; RMSEA = 0.08, CFI =0.99]. Borderline traits
significantly predicted negative urgency (b = 0.86, p <.0001), and negative urgency was a significant predictor of
alcohol problems (b = 5.49, p <.0001). The results speak to the role of negative urgency in the relationship
between borderline traits and substance use problems.
Poster 43
Facebook Use by College Students
Lillian Mary Kallestad
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Michael Granaas
Research has suggested that active use of social media, directly interacting with others and participating in
discussion on social media platforms, is associated with increased well-being. Passive usage, where individuals
take on more of a spectator role without any interaction with other members in the network, is more likely to
result in isolation and leads to more negative emotional effects. Furthermore, personality factors can influence
how people interact with social networks. Hardy individuals, for example, tend to seek out and utilize their social
support more effectively than others (Wallace et al., 2001). This research seeks answers to two questions: 1) is
there is a relationship between hardiness and active social media usage; and 2) is there is a relationship between
social support and active social media usage? Based on previous researcher we expect to find 1) that hardy
individuals engage more in active social media behaviors than non-hardy individuals; and 2) that there is a
relationship between social support and active social media usage. We anticipate having survey results available
for presentation.
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Poster 44
#Extrovert: Is extroversion a predictor of social media usage?
Liz Runia, Sydney Fleming
Division of Counseling and Psychology in Education
The present study examined the correlation between the frequency and diversity of social media use and level of
extroversion. Adults in a graduate course and adults recruited through a popular social media site completed an
online or paper survey that included questions related to personality and social media use. Social media use
included the amount of time spent on social media sites, number of different sites used, and how active
participants were on each site. Extroversion was measured using an adapted version of the Big Five Inventory
(BFI). It was hypothesized that extroverts would spend less time per week on social media sites and post less
frequently than non-extroverts. However, individuals who scored high in extroversion were hypothesized to use
a greater number of these sites.
Poster 45
PhotoVoice
Megan Alexandra Bartels
Student Services
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kimberly Grieve
PhotoVoice is a project dedicated to illustrating lived experiences through the use of photography, and sharing
photographs with other research participants in the focus group to facilitate discussion. The purpose of this
particular research study is to describe the experience of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) students
on campus through the use of photography. In this specific project facilitated by the University of South Dakota,
seven participants met for one hour each week for six weeks to discuss photographs (supplied by the participants)
that in some way pertain to their experience as a queer person on campus. The participation in this research
project has helped give LGBT students a concrete voice and contribute important information regarding their
experiences on campus. Information from this project has served also as a vehicle for cross-cultural competency
for the entire university community. This research has helped foster conversations regarding gender and sexuality
in a unique way that will help the University of South Dakota become more inclusive and accommodating to our
queer youth. These conversations have brought forth new ideas about new bathroom signage, personal
declaration of name usage by individual students on class lists, as well as many other ideas that will make the
experiences of queer youth safer and better. The President's Council for Diversity and Inclusiveness has been a
consistent supporter of this project and has assisted in its success.
Poster 46
Design and synthesis of two-dimensional Schiff base perfluoroalkylated aromatic polymers with potential
organic electronic applications.
Jordan Kramer*
Chemistry
Organic electronics offer several advantages over their inorganic based counterparts. These materials offer: light
weight and flexibility, cheaper and efficient manufacturing conditions and the capability for diversity through
chemical modification. Polymers are of particular interest for electronics, biotechnology and energy storage
applications. Our research focuses on synthesizing perfluoroalkylated aromatic Schiff base linked polymers.
Perfluoroalkylated chains offer unique changes to physico-chemical properties, such as enhanced air stability,
lipophilicity, hydrophobicity and crystalline steering capability. Incorporating these chains onto one-dimensional
and two-dimensional aromatic polymers could allow for increase stability and control over the crystalline packing
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structure. With these enhanced physico-chemical properties, and potential control over packing, we could obtain
large, conjugated aromatic polymers with high stability and flexibility for utilization in electronic devices.
Poster 47
Development of Innovative Biomimetic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering Using the Corn Protein, Zein
Eric Sandhurst*
The corn protein, zein, has been used for many years and has been successfully and safely manufactured as a food
coating, textile, and a capsule for pharmaceutical drugs. More recently zein has been studied for use as a
biocompatible, biodegradable polymer scaffold, but previous scaffold fabrication methods have failed to produce
a well-defined macro and microstructure. Based upon the success of our previous studies using other natural and
synthetic polymers, we prepared several scaffolds using novel fabrication methods. By combining porogenleaching and phase separation methods, novel three-dimensional zein scaffolds were developed that display a
well-defined microstructure with interconnected porosity, as observed by SEM. To illustrate the biocompatibility
of the scaffold, mouse mesenchymal stem cells (10T1 cells) were seeded onto the scaffold and readily attached
and proliferated. At all experimental time points the cells showed a typical healthy morphology as observed by
confocal microscopy. The various scaffolds developed for this study exhibit attractive properties for application in
further bone tissue engineering research.
Poster 48
Effects of Acceptance of Casual Sex and Trait Narcissism on Men's Perceptions of a Woman's Image Varied by
the Presence or Absence of Alcoholic Drinks
Matthew Richard Schlimgen, Matthew Rohner
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: CIndy Struckman-Johnson
Prior research has shown that men tend to perceive a woman who is drinking alcohol as more sexually available
(George et al., 2000; 2006). Last year at IdeaFest, we presented the preliminary results of an experiment in which
60 USD college men viewed the projected image of an attractive young woman at a party who appeared to be
drinking beer, beer and whiskey shots, non-alcoholic Red Bull, or nothing. Results at this stage did not show
significant effects of the presence of alcohol on ratings of the woman's sexual availability. This year we added
over 30 more participants, analyzed measures of men's acceptance of casual sex and narcissism, and combined
the four conditions into two groups of either alcohol present or not present in the image. A 2 (alcohol and no
alcohol) by 2 (lower and higher levels of narcissism) by 2 (lower and higher acceptance of casual sex) multivariate
analysis of variance was conducted for six dependent measures related to the woman's sexuality. Results showed
significant main effects for all three factors but no interactions. Men perceived a woman who appeared to be
drinking alcohol as more risky and less likely to be a virgin than a woman who was not drinking. Men higher in
narcissism rather than lower were more likely to perceive that the woman would have sex with them but that she
was less attractive. Men who were more rather than less accepting of casual sex were more likely to view the
woman as risky, flirty, sexual available, and willing to have sex with them. These and other findings will be
presented at our IdeaFest poster presentation.
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Poster 49
Heparin/Dopamine Coated Electrospun Nanofibrous 3D Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering
Jacob Miszuk*
Three-dimensional electrospun PCL scaffolds have been shown to be effective carriers for stem cell-mediated
functional endochondral bone formation by recapitulating natural bone development and repair. However, lack
of functional groups limit the drug delivery and cell adhesion/proliferation capabilities of these scaffolds. We
hypothesize that PCL modification by dopamine/heparin conjugation will allow for increased hydrophobicity and
functionalize the surface for BMP2 adhesion leading to increased differentiation capabilities via consistent
molecule release. Cross-linking of scaffolds are done step-by-step with dopamine first followed by heparin after
successful dopamine modification in solution. Modified scaffolds have been generated with consistent pore size
and porosity to neat PCL specimens, allowing for no interruption in fiber morphology for consistent cellular
interaction. Drug release profile will be observed over time by analyzing functional BMP2 present in scaffolds
over varying time points and quantified by ELISA. Biological experiments to study cell activity both in vitro and in
vivo will be performed with C3H10T1/2 cells using unmodified PCL scaffolds as control. In vitro gene expression,
cell viability, and morphology will be observed in vitro. In vivo mouse experiments will be carried out using a
defect model and analyzed histologically to observe new bone formation. Collectively we should see data that
suggest our coated 3D electrospun scaffolds are more effective carriers for stem cell-mediated functional
endochondral bone formation by recapitulating natural bone development and repair.
Poster 50
Interpersonal Style and the Narration of Life Events
Kayla R. Nalan-Sheffield*, Haley N. Schwenk
Psychology
Research suggests that one's perception of their ability to be an agent of change in their life, as well as their ability
to experience interpersonal connections with others has an impact on mental health, such that individuals who
narrate their life story with greater agency and communion tend to have better mental health outcomes
(McAdams & McLean, 2013). However, little empirical research has examined how the narrative themes of agency
and communion may differ across life-story episodes (e.g., high point, low point, turning point), and how these
differences may, in turn, impact functional impairment. The current study seeks to examine the relationship
between self-reported interpersonal style and that manifested in discrete life-story episodes among individuals
exposed to traumatic events. The study will also examine whether interpersonal style is consistent across the type
of life-story episodes as well as how this may differ when compared to self-reported interpersonal style.
Participants will complete measures of interpersonal style and functioning and an abbreviated version of the Life
Story Interview. The Life Story Interview episodes will be coded for themes of agency and communion. Results
will be discussed in terms of their clinical implications.
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Poster 51
The Impact of Habitat Choice on Summit Metabolic Rate in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Horned
Larks (Eremophila alpestris)
Paige Oboikovitz*
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: David Swanson
The environment in which an organism lives can substantially influence its physiology and therefore, its ability to
acclimate. In birds, populations of the same species from different geographic locations have been shown to vary
in their metabolic capacity determined by summit metabolic rate (Msum), the maximum metabolic rate produced
under cold exposure. This variation can be attributed to the difference in temperature experienced by each
population, especially when locations were at different latitudes. Populations in warmer environments tend to
have lower Msum rates than those found in colder environments. Season, usually from winter to summer, has
also been shown to dictate Msum rates in some bird species where Msum tends to be greater in the winter than
in the summer. Given this correlation between ambient temperature and Msum, habitat choice may affect
metabolic capacity since microclimates can differ based on how much solar radiation and wind exposure occurs.
The objective of this study is to see whether habitat choice impacts Msum in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)
and horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) and to compare seasonal variation of Msum from winter to summer in
both species. House sparrows tend to live in more sheltered habitats, such as thick pine trees, bushes, and even
buildings, while horned larks inhabit open agricultural fields. Using copper spheres roughly the size of the birds,
thermocouplers and data-loggers as means to measure operative temperature, the microclimates of each habitat
will be measured and compared. We hypothesize that the habitat choice of horned larks will improve their
metabolic capacity in winter resulting in a higher Msum rates and a greater discrepancy between winter and
summer rates than house sparrows due to open fields having harsher conditions in both seasons than those found
in sheltered habitats.
Poster 52
Effects of Social Media on Romantic Relationships in Urban vs Rural Areas
Kirsten Monaghan, Ericka Niles, Megan Kress, Abbie Gottsche, Yvon Minoque, Taylar Jenks
Social Work
The increasingly heavy use of social media may be influencing the development of romantic relationships. This
exploratory project collected a nonprobability convenience sample of respondents (N = 316) through an online
survey asking about social media usage, confidentiality, and respondent perceptions of how social media has
affected their romantic relationships. Data analysis will begin in March.
Poster 53
Postural control management in children with idiopathic toe walking behaviors
Nicole Koskovich*
Physical Therapy
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Patti Berg-Poppe
Summary: Idiopathic toe-walking (ITW) is an atypical toe-toe gait pattern with absence of heel strike and without
a specifically identified etiology.1 Performance scores on motor proficiency tests and parent reports suggest that
children with ITW have difficulties managing balance2,3 and frequently stumble,3 trip,4 and fall.3,5 Research
analyzing static postural control in children with ITW is limited. This study examined static postural control in
children with ITW by measuring loading patterns under variable sensory conditions. Purpose: The study had
two purposes: 1) to analyze center of pressure (CoP) distribution patterns under different surface and sensory
conditions in children with idiopathic toe-walking (ITW) behaviors compared to age- and gender-matched subjects
who exhibit normal gait; 2) to identify between-group differences in percent of maximum voluntary isometric
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muscle contractions (for select muscles) associated with differences in CoP distribution. This abstract will inform
the first purpose only. Methods: Posturography was used to measure CoP distribution under a matrix of firm
(Fi) or foam (Fo) surface and eyes open (EO) or eyes closed (EC) conditions. Results: Five children comprised
the ITW group (3 male; mean age=8.73 years, range 5.92-11.08); 5 age- and gender-matched children comprised
the control group (mean age=8.42 years, range 5.67-10.08). Independent t-tests revealed significant betweengroup differences for CoP anterior displacement under FiEC (P=.031), FoEO (P=.039) and FoEC (P=.039) conditions.
CoP anterior displacement under FiEO (P=.080) conditions did not meet significance. Mean anterior displacement
was less for the ITW group under all conditions. Conclusions: Preliminary analysis suggests that when standing
under compromised sensory conditions, children with ITW achieve less anterior displacement than age- and
gender-matched controls. These findings suggest that children with ITW use different strategies than control
children to manage standing balance. Further analysis of muscle activation patterns and a larger sample size will
be used to inform hypotheses about these differences
Poster 54
AWOL Pine Ridge: Spring Break 2016
Andrew Koch, Lauren Fanta, John Fanta, Jacob Haiar, Ceara Harris, Allie Logan, Jessie Sadlon, Kevin Nam
AWOL Students spent their spring break in a service-learning capacity with a number of community organizations
on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Poster 55
AWOL Moab: Spring Break 2016
Emily Roberson, Shane Hansen, Alex Montoya, Brock Peterson, Hannah Sheffield, Emma Kays, Laura Wolf,
Josie Flatgard, Noah Kottke
AWOL students traveled to Moab, Utah over spring break to work trail restoration and other environmental
projects near Arches National Park.
Poster 56
AWOL Sauk Centre: Spring Break 2016
Emily Pauli, Jenny Welu, Kali Teasley, Austin Frtiza, Jessica Tisher, Sadie Schoenfelder, Rosemarie Clauson,
Kassie VanWyk
AWOL students travled to Sauk Centre, Minnesota to work with a sustainable farm, Camphill Village, which is a
home for people with and without disabilities. Students were involved in serivce-learning activities, spending the
week supporting residents and the farm.
Poster 57
AWOL Baltimore: Spring Break 2016
Kennidy Asche, Logan Bullard, Sidney Heisler, Clay Lippert, Abby Yeska, Hannah Heisinger, Megan Feller, Taya
Vacanti, Samantha Lenz, Annalissa Miller
AWOL students spent their spring break in Baltimore, Maryland, service-learning with different organizations
addressing community revitilization and food insecurity.
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Poster 58
AWOL Rosebud: Spring Break 2016
Hayley Stahl, Shamly Mackey, Luke Smith, Jeff Chang, Autumn Eirinberg, Brittany Thompson, Melissa Eberts
AWOL students traveled during their spring break to the Rosebud reservation to partner with Habitat for Humanity
and Headstart organizations in a service-learning capacity.
Poster 59
AWOL Dallas: Winter Break 2016
Sage Kipfer, Allison Kellen, Shane Hansen, Jenna Mammenga, Jeff Chang, Miranda Ebach, Brock Peterson,
Delmi Cuellar, Kelsey Kirby,
AWOL students spent a week of their winter break in Dallas learning about community health and wellness and
serving with agencies in a number of capacities.
Poster 60
An Analysis of PTSD Care and Treatment in Combat Veterans
Alexa Gerlach
Health Sciences
This research examines veterans of America upon returning home from combat war. The transition from combat
war to American soil, specifically, the time lapse between combat service and obtaining healthcare was analyzed.
Lack of knowledge of their benefits as veterans, lack of access to transportation, and the stigma associated with
mental health care were all reasons veterans' avoided treatment. Although women are not yet assigned combat
roles, they experience PTSD as frequently as men do. Roles such as processing bodies and treating the severely
injured are a major contribution to PTSD and depression experienced by female veterans. It was determined that
there is a correlation between PTSD and anger. The most effective method of therapy was determined to be a
combination of group and cognitive therapy. This combination was successful because study participants were
able to build a support system and receive the individualized care they required. Exposure group therapy was also
proven effective.
Poster 61
Personality and Experiences in Close Relationships
Emily Riedemann
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Michael Granaas
Bowlby (1969) and Ainsworth (1970) identified four attachment styles: Secure, preoccupied, fearful-avoidant, and
dismissive to describe child-parent attachment. More recently Hazan and Shaver (1987) have applied these
attachment styles to adult attachment in romantic relationships. Attachment style is closely related to personality
and experiences in close relationships. Infidelity is a common occurrence in romantic relationships. Infidelity can
be separated into two categories: emotional infidelity and sexual infidelity. Research has shown that personality
does have a role in whether a person will be faithful in a romantic relationship. Because attachment is closely
related to personality, this research focuses on how adult attachment in close relationships correlates with rates
of infidelity for both males and females at the University of South Dakota. Data is being gathered using a survey
which includes the Relationship Structures Questionnaire developed by Fraley et al. which measures attachment
to the mother, father, romantic partner, and best friend along with questions about sexual and emotional
infidelity. To our knowledge much research to this point has focused on sexual infidelity in relationships, however
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this research will put a focus on emotional infidelity as well. By using the Relationship Structures Questionnaire
we will be able to examine whether relationships with parents and close friends affect infidelity in a romantic
relationship.
Poster 62
Characteristics as Predictors of Academic Achievement
Brittany Lewno*
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Daniel Hajovsky
Character development programs are vastly popular among schools. However, many programs vary in the
characteristics promoted. Seven characteristics, including curiosity, zest, social intelligence, gratitude, optimism,
self-control, and grit, may be optimal for student success (Tough, 2012). This theory is partially based on the
empirical support that each characteristic individually attains (e.g., Boonen, Pinxten, van Damme, & Onghena,
2013; Costa & Faria, 2015; Duckworth, Paterson, Matthews, & Kelly, 2007; von Stumm et al., 2011; Weber & Ruch,
2012). However, limited research to date compares these characteristics to other characteristics typical in
character development programs. The presence of these characteristics fosters consideration of growth mindset,
which is the belief that abilities are malleable and improvable with effort (Dweck, 2015). Rarely is growth mindset
included in studies that consider characteristics as predictors of student success. This study analyzes the
predictive validity of the aforementioned characteristics in comparison to other characteristics among a sample
of sixth grade middle school students from across the Midwest. Additionally, growth mindset is analyzed as a
moderating variable in this interaction. This poster presentation will include either 1) preliminary results from
this study or 2) a literature review and research proposal.
Poster 63
Effects of an aggressive encounter on monoamines in the mantis shrimp brain
Andrew D. Koch
Biology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Kenneth Renner
Aggression is an evolutionarily conserved behavior that can be studied through many different model systems.
Because of their simple nervous system and easily characterized suite of behaviors, crustaceans provide excellent
model organisms to study the central modulation of evolutionarily conserved behaviors such as memory and
aggression. The mantis shrimp, Neogonodactylus oerstedii, is highly aggressive in defense of territory and exhibits
stereotypical aggressive behaviors that have been studied in detail. Serotonin (5-HT), a monoamine
neurotransmitter, has been linked to the central control of aggressive interactions in several species of
crustaceans based on behavioral outcomes following systemic injections of 5-HT. However, relatively little work
has been done with respect to measuring the changes in neurochemistry of the crustacean brain in response to
winning or losing an aggressive interaction. In this study, we staged fights between three species of mantis shrimp
and measured octopamine, dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain using HPLC and electrochemical detection.
Our results show that losers of aggressive interactions have higher levels of serotonin and dopamine relative to
winners in N oerstedii. A similar response was also obtained when brain monoamines were compared between
winners and losers following fights in the mantis shrimp species Haptosquilla trispinosa and Gonodactylus smithiii.
In order to elucidate whether these changes in brain neurotransmitters are predictive of defeat or are a result of
defeat, we are currently conducting experiments to determine the effects of pharmacologically elevated brain
serotonin levels on aggressive interactions in N. oerstedii.
126
Poster 64
A Qualitative Examination of Internalized Heterosexism in Sexual Minorities
Erin Lynn Rasmussen
Psychology
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Jae Puckett
Internalized heterosexism (also known as internalized homophobia; IH), refers to when lesbian, gay, bisexual, or
queer individuals (LGBQ) internalize stigma and oppressive views of sexual minorities into their self-concept due
to social bias. Research on this minority stressor has been extensive, yet lacks a qualitative examination that
provides depth to understanding the ways that IH is experienced and changed. This study entailed semi-structured
interviews with 12 LGBQ participants which explored their experiences of IH, factors that led to the development
of IH, and coping strategies. Preliminary analyses have revealed that IH exists at the intersection of the individual
and social experience of sexual minorities - both in how it is developed and maintained/changed. In terms of
triggers for IH, this appears to be perpetuated in repressive environments, sometimes related to strict, religious
upbringing as well as a strict adherence to binary gender role norms. In addition, the lack of LGBQ media
representation and in participants' personal lives seemed to further the perception that non-heterosexual
identities were devalued and less than, which resulted in the denial and downplay of participants' sexual minority
identities. IH can be alleviated in the coming out process by talking to other LGBQ people, which normalizes the
experience and in turn increases self-image and confidence levels. Some effective coping mechanisms included
therapy, journaling, and community outreach. On the individual level, through a process of gaining empowerment
to be themselves, participants reported being able to create separation between their self-image and the beliefs
of others about sexual minorities that led to the development of a more positive self-image. Possible implications
of this study include better treatment options for counselors working with LGBQ individuals, as well as
development of outreach programs to help LGBQ individuals, especially youth who may be managing the
internalization of shame about their identities.
Poster 65
The effects of exercise on sleep habits in college athletes
Jason Kitto
This is an experimental study which examines the effect of exercise on sleep habits in college aged athletes. We
will research two sample of twenty students to learn their sleep patterns before and after participation in
rigorous exercise (for the purpose of this study, rigorous exercise is an hour or more of soccer or rugby).
Participants will be given a ten question survey to determine the amount of sleep they usually get and the
amount of sleep they get after a day in which they participate in rigorous exercise. Similar research leads us to
hypothesize that we will see an increase in hours of sleep/more healthy sleep patterns on days during which an
athlete participated in rigorous exercise.
Poster 66
Reducing Discriminations Toward the Transgender Community through Exposure
Kathrine Ann Bice, Cara Ann Koch, Annmarie Spilger
Social Work
In our research, we will be conducting a study that will allow participants to learn about rural attitudes related to
individuals in the transgender community, think about what it means to be transgender, and they will also be
given the opportunity to change any previous stigmatizations they have towards the transgender community. This
is an important human rights and social justice issue for social work students and social work programs because
127
this marginalized group has been historically stigmatized and discriminated against. Excellence in undergraduate
social work education should address this stigma.
Poster 67
The Euphonium and Baritone Conflict
April Legatt
National Music Museum
Faculty/Staff Sponsor: Deborah Reeves
This project aims to clarify the nomenclature associated with the Bb euphonium and Bb baritone horn, both of
which are the tenor voices of the brass family. Attempts to differentiate the two musical instruments will be made
by comparison of its modern versions as well as the past instruments. With these comparisons, this project will
attempt to define the definition of both instruments.
128
Marketing Your Research & Creative Scholarship
Demonstrates . . .
Time Management
Teamwork
Trustworthiness
Leadership
Written & Verbal Communication
Problem Solving
Critical Thinking
On the Resume . . .
On your resume, document your research experiences the same way you would describe other campus involvement and
work experience. Focus on your accomplishments. Select the skills that are transferable to your career interests and
demonstrate the qualifications required for the position.
List this experience with a few short bullets highlighting your achievements. Example:
COLLEGIATE INVOLVEMENT, AWARDS & HONORS
(list other organizations/awards/positions held and duties)
Undergraduate Research – Project Assistant
Missouri River Institute, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD August 2012-May 2014
 Assumed the primary responsibility for the technical supervision, fiscal control and reporting of the research project.
 Collaborated with five team members during the course of the research.
 Calculated and managed a $2,000 budget for the research project.
 Successfully investigated the impact of flow regulations on land cover and patch dynamics of the Missouri River
floodplain.
OR
Creative Scholarship – Grant winner & Project Director
Council for Undergraduate Research & Creative Scholarship, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. Mini-grant awardee.
April 2014.
 Wrote successful mini-grant application ($750) for funding of creative scholarship project
 Developed artistic project based upon performances in the University of South Dakota’s productions of “Next to
Normal” and “Seussical”
 Used performative techniques of Arthur Lessac, Michal Chekhov, and Konstantin Stanislavsky
 Worked closely with production team and multiple crews (director, stage manager, costume, lighting, scenic design,
sound technicians) to develop and deliver award-winning performance
OR
Undergraduate Research – Research Assistant
Department of History, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD. October 2015.
 Researched collections in the South Dakota State Archives about women’s suffrage during the early 1900’s (over 100
hours of primary source analysis)
 Conducted multiple oral history interviews for a research project that were later deposited in the USD Oral History
Center for cataloging and use by other researchers
 Nominated by faculty to present research at the USD Student History Conference, a regional meeting featuring a dozen
area colleges and universities
 Completed an internship at the WH Over Museum where research results from the women’s suffrage project became
the basis for a new museum exhibit
129
During the Interview . . .
Most interview questions are open-ended and situational in nature. The STAR method may help you better describe your
accomplishments during a behavior-based interview. Describe the situation, the task you needed to accomplish, the action
you took and the results of your actions.
Tell me about the most significant or creative presentation that you had to complete.
Situation: The most significant presentation I have ever had to present was to a class of 50 students at the University.
Task: Our team had completed research for the Missouri River Institute on the impact of flow regulation on the future
ecological state of the river system, as well as wildlife habitat.
Action: We focused on the research and collected information consistently at the site. We then analyzed this data using
statistical software and discovered a significant relationship between water flow and wildlife habitat. We then wrote a
report on these results and shared it with a Biological conference at the University.
Result: The presentation went over very well and was a success. We received positive feedback on the presentation
evaluations and we were even asked to present our presentation at a community forum by faculty. Later that semester, it
was also published in a peer review journal that showcases Biology students’ research from across the nation.
Tell me about the most complex assignment you have had.
Situation: The most complex assignment was when I was the Project Assistant of a research project.
Task: My colleagues and I did research for two semesters to complete the project. It consisted of many complex
components.
Action: I made many critical decisions along the way that would affect the outcome of the research project. I made these
decisions by consulting with the other members of the group, seeking out as much information about our options as
possible, consulting faculty, and reviewing the literature. I was trusted to maintain research results that were important in
my faculty director’s own research agenda.
Result: The results of the research were very successful and all of us were happy with the final product. Our research was
published in a peer-reviewed journal, for which I was listed as a co-author. We also earned an A on our project and
presented it at several local events.
Need additional assistance? Contact the Academic & Career Planning Center! Academic Commons (First Floor, I.D. Weeks Library)
advising@usd.edu ♦ (605) 677-5381 ♦ www.usd.edu/advising
130
Last Name, First Name
Adam, Conrad
Adams, Ethan
Adegoke, Oludotun
Alaparthi, Madhubabu
Almalki, Majdi
Almekhlafi, Hussan
Alonso, Elena
Amatya, Christina
Anderson, Jordan
Asche, Kennidy
Asche, Kennidy
Asfeldt, Kristian
Baer, Lisa
Bailey, Rebecca
Bakke, Stephen
Barclay, Rachel
Barnett, Katie
Bartels, Megan
Beck, Jeffrey
Becker, John
Beckman, Kelle
Bedoya, Nathan
Belch Jr, William
Benes, Brook
Bergeson, Evan
Bice, Katherine
Bjerken, Noel
Bleecker, Heather
Boell, Molly
Bordeaux-Rank, Jessica
Bosch, Michael
Bosch, Taylor
Bottjen, Nicole
Brand, Kelsey
Bray, Brenna
Brink, Calvin
Brown, Jacy
Bruce, David
Bruce, David
Brudvig, Jon
Buchanan, Michael
Buchholz, Courtney
Buechler, Rebecca
Burgess, Shelby
Calvert, Jennifer
Campbell, Grant
Campbell, Chelsea
Cass, Lauren
Cervantes Casiano,
Ricardo
Clauson, Joslynn
Clauson, Rosemarie
Clauson, Joslynn
Connealy, Kale
Session
Time
Location
Program
Page #
Abstract
Page #
BADM 350 Poster Session 1 - 10:00 am-10:50 am Main Floor
Session 6f - 10:00 am-10:50 am 2nd Floor Pit Lounge
Session 4a - 1:00 pm-1:50 pm 2nd Floor 211/211A
Poster Session 2 - 2:00 - 3:30 pm 2nd Floor
BADM 350 Poster Session 2 - 12:30 pm-1:30 pm Main Floor
Session 5b - 2:00 pm-2:30 pm 2nd Floor 216
Session 7h - 12:00 pm-1:00pm 2nd Floor Pit Lounge
Session 1e - 9:00 am-9:50 am 2nd Floor Ballroom BC`
Session 3d - 11:00 am - 11:50 am 2nd Floor CDC
Session 3c - 11:00 am - 11:50 am 2nd Floor 216A
Session 2b - 10:00 am-10:50 am 2nd Floor 216
Session 2a - 10:00 am-10:50 am 2nd Floor 211/211A
Session 6d - 9:20 am-10:50 am 2nd Floor CDC
11
20
13
23
23
21
23
14
16
17
25
21
16
10
11
11
18
24
23
13
11
23
21
11
21
25
17
16
17
16
17
13
24
16
12
12
10
11
23
10
16
24
23
21
24
21
20
10
Session 1b - 9:00 am-9:50 am
9
28
24
11
11
11
117
39
40
2nd Floor 216
Session 2e - 9:00 am-9:50 am 2nd Floor Ballroom A
Session 2f - 10:00 am-10:50 am 2nd Floor Ballroom BC
131
94
48
108
111
111
54
73
78
125
101
71
32
83
120
107
46
107
94
127
81
74
79
66
78
49
118
69
46
44
35
113
33
72
117
112
116
92
34
Cotton, Vonda
Culey, Lane
Dailey, Elizabeth
Dattilo, Robyn
Davidson, Mara
Davis, Drew
Decker, Tyler
Dickerson, Zach
Dombrowski, Patricia
Doty, Brooke
Dramstad, Thorn
Dykstra, Emily
Ellinger, Nathan
Elnowaihy, Youssef
Engel, Shaydel
Entwisle, Lavin
Fajman, Jeremy
Fanta, John
Farkas, Jillian
Farrier, Angela
Feldman, Jessica
Fernando, Pasan
Finnicum, Casey
Fleischer, Aaron
Fortney, Ryan
Fothergill, Andrea
Fox, Laura
Frentress, Cameron
Fritza, Austin
Froehlich, Rebecca
Gao, Hongbo
Geraets, Ryan
Gerlach, Alexa
Ghasempor, Leila
Glazier, Ryan
Gorham, Julia
Gray, Brandon
Hager, Cole
Haigh, Jena
Hale, Logan
Hall, Jennifer
Hancock, Sydney
Hanson, Mitchell
Hanson, Cylie
Hartnett, Mary
Haugen, Clark
Hawkins, Benjamin
Heiden, Amelia
Henderson, Kayla
Henning, Lauren
Henrickson, Michael
Henry, Brianna
Henson, Hanna
Hepper, Ryan
HIkkaduwa Withanage,
Miyuraj Harishchandra
Session 3a - 11:00 am - 11:50 am 2nd Floor 211/211A
Session 6c - 9:20 am-10:50 am 2nd Floor 216A
Session 7d - 11:00 pm-12:30 pm 2nd Floor CDC
Session 1e - 9:00 am-9:50 am 2nd Floor Ballroom BC
Session 5c - 2:00 pm-2:50 pm 2nd Floor 216A
21
21
21
22
11
15
11
11
16
17
15
24
21
11
12
19
19
15
22
11
11
17
13
23
10
23
12
21
15
17
13
10
25
11
21
24
16
21
9
19
10
12
11
22
17
21
24
17
11
23
21
14
21
21
Poster Session 1 - 2:00 - 3:30 pm
22
132
2nd Floor
95
95
103
62
74
83
62
122
42
89
89
64
100
75
47
115
33
113
41
63
83
51
34
125
38
118
70
29
86
34
46
103
78
119
75
107
56
106
Hins, William
Hocking, Elise
Hoffman, Rhianna
Holmstrom, Carly
Hotchkiss, Theron
Houchens, Elijah
Huber, Shelby
Jackan, Shania
Jackson, Tyler
Jerrett, Cassy
Johannsen, Rachel
Johnson, Aaron
Johnson, Wesley
Johnson, Tyler
Johnson, Leah
Johnson, Keegan
Kallestad, Lillian
Kallestad, Lillian
Karels, Brandon
KC, Bikash
KC, Birendra
Kenny, Thomas
Keppen, Joseph
Kipfer, Sage
Kitto, Jason
Knedler, Epiphany
Koch, Andrew
Koch, Andrew
Koehn, Mitchell
Koemer, Kyle
Koskovich, Nicole
Kramer, Jordan
Krieger, Bryce
Kruse, Alexa
Kruse, Alexa
Kuiper, Jordan
Ladenburger, Taylor
Larson, Savanna
Laska, Stephanie
Laufmann, Spencer
Legatt, April
Lentsch, John
Lewno, Megan
Lewno, Brittany
Liu, Yangxi
Livermont, Tamee
Longley, Kirsty
Los, Ryan
Loutsch, Katie
Lund, Sara
Madison, Joseph
Maestas, Lauren
Mahanke, Morgan
Makwinja, Layani
Mammo, Joseph
Mao, Siyu
133
21
24
14
11
21
21
15
11
10
22
18
11
11
22
17
10
24
19
21
13
13
21
21
25
25
22
25
25
11
22
24
24
21
12
14
14
11
15
20
9
25
11
24
25
23
16
18
11
17
16
21
9
15
19
22
14
119
57
37
59
37
100
84
80
36
119
86
98
49
52
99
125
127
105
124
126
123
121
45
56
53
64
92
29
128
128
118
126
112
67
84
40
82
70
96
26
60
90
102
54
Marino, Esteban
Marlette, Stacy
Matthiesen, Koty
Mattson, Kenneth
McAdaragh, Brett
McCarthy, Megan
McKeown, Ashley
McLaughlin, Rebekah
Meints, Tyler
Meyer, Sean
Micheel, Tyler
Michel, Chelsey
Mickley, Matthew
Miszuk, Jacob
Monaghan, Kirsten
Monaghan, Kirsten
Mondreti, Kalyana
Moody, Casie
Moore, Rachelle
Moreland, Justus
Morris, Jill
Mulhall, Emma
Munger, Jacob
Munoz, Jose
Murtha, Evan
Muttach, Michelle
Naasz, Jacob
Naasz, Jacob
Nagy, Hannah
Nalan-Sheffield, Kayla
Nelson Kraayenbrink,
Briana
Newberry, Gretchen
Niehus, Nicholas
Nielsen, Christian
Noonan, Rachel
Oboikovitz, Paige
Olson, Macy
Omar, Jalatama
Onken, Travis
Pace, Ethan
Packard, Aaron
Packard, Sara
Page, Brett
Palmer, Geralyn
Palmer, Geralyn
Panzer, Miranda
Patel, Karan
Patrick, Mitch
Pauli, Emily
Paulsen, Riley
Pearson, Klaire
Peasley, Annie
Peterson, Dana
Pharis, Austin
Picotte, Katie
13
11
20
11
21
17
16
22
23
11
24
14
21
24
15
24
15
15
19
11
17
22
17
19
21
11
24
19
19
16
Poster Session 2 - 2:00 - 3:30 pm
23
109
17
22
22
16
24
14
22
22
10
23
10
22
15
18
22
21
10
25
15
11
20
22
22
12
82
2nd Floor
134
50
91
80
66
102
106
116
57
122
61
123
63
59
90
76
104
83
87
116
89
88
70
65
123
55
36
108
37
65
84
95
31
124
58
39
91
42
Pillar, Abby
Pillow, Byron
Pitcher, Kristopher
Prince, Dalton
Ptacek, Katlin
Qiao, Fangfang
Radev, Filip
Rangel, Kaitlyn
Rashwan, Khaled
Rasmussen, Erin
Rathnayake, Kumudu
Reed, Cody
Remmers, Logan
Rexwinkel, Kade
Riedemann, Emily
Rindfleisch, Nicole
Ripley, Eli
Roat, Regan
Roberson, Emily
Roberson, Emily
Roberson, Emily
Roberts, Eric
Robertson, Eric
Rowe, Hunter
Runia, Liz
Runia, Matthew
Sack, Cody
Salehi, Maryam
Saltness, Rachel
Sandhurst, Eric
Santjer, Dustin
Sazama, Eric
Schermann, Brittany
Schley, Elizabeth
Schlimgen, Matthew
Schlimgen, Matthew
Schlimgen, Eric
Schmidt, Rachel
Schmitt, Madeline
Schnack, Sabrina
Schultz, Mason
Schuttinger, Samantha
Schuver, Jackson
Schwenk, Haley
Seal, Cody
Selections, Assassins
Severyn, Kaitlyn
Shaffer, Russell
Sheets, Jordan
Shleusner, Cole
Shrestha, Sunav
Sieve, Jenna
Sime, Jenna
Sistad, Rebecca
Slagerman, Boni
Smith, Abbey
Session 4C - 1:00 pm-1:50 pm 2nd Floor 216A
Session 3g - 11:00 am - 11:50 am 2nd Floor Pit Lounge
135
23
16
21
11
11
16
17
11
21
25
13
19
22
11
25
11
22
9
17
25
12
16
22
15
24
11
12
13
16
24
22
14
11
17
24
19
19
19
13
12
12
12
22
23
20
13
20
20
10
22
21
10
12
16
14
23
106
71
96
68
77
38
99
127
52
87
126
26
81
124
43
73
63
120
45
50
67
121
101
55
76
121
85
88
85
51
44
114
47
93
31
97
35
72
58
114
Sobotka, Anna
Soleta, Jessica
Soluk, Eva
Sorensen, Akela
Speiser, Jessica
Stahl, Hayley
Stanislav, Kristen
Stansbury, Cody
Steffen, Kristen
Stephens, Connor
Stern, Kaitlyn
Sternburg, Jack
Strait, Spencer
Strom, Olivia
Sunken, Shelby
Suo, Chao
Susemihl, Jonathan
Svendsen, Matthew
Swier, Sadie
Tamang, Sem
Thompson, Mashaya
Tiahrt, Kenan
Tiwari, Neeraj
Tobin, Kelsey
Troastle, Katelyn
Troastle, Katelyn
Tsakakis, Elena
Tuttle, Kerstin
Valind, Dustin
Van Ekeren, Audra
Van Ermen, Lucas
Vandenberg, Dana
VanDiermen, Menno
Verma, Alex
Vertullo, Amy
Vinjamuri, Raja
Vote, Brennan
Wagner, Mitchell
Warmbold, Jerry
Watson, Thayme
Weber, Matthew
Wegner, Alec
Weichler, Amy
Welker, Nolan
Welker, Logan
Westergaard, Kallan
Westover, Keaton
Wetzel, Claire
Wheeler, Christina
Wiebers, Derek
Wieczorek, Aimee
Williams, Lara
Wilson, Patrick
Wimmer, Bailey
Wintle, Carrie
Wood, Nicholas
Session 2e - 9:00 am-9:50 am 2nd Floor Ballroom A
Session 3b - 11:00 am - 11:50 am 2nd Floor 216
136
13
17
22
17
17
25
22
12
22
22
21
23
22
11
22
12
17
12
20
21
12
9
13
10
23
22
16
20
21
16
15
23
14
22
12
12
12
16
14
23
13
22
16
12
15
22
12
15
22
12
23
11
24
12
9
9
51
77
99
79
81
125
104
97
110
39
42
80
93
99
28
48
30
113
101
69
94
98
67
62
110
53
105
68
56
109
48
68
61
60
111
41
117
28
27
Worden, Luke
Wyffels, Kayla
Zaczek, Stanton
Zaiser, Sarah
Zhang, Yunda
Zhang, Lei
Zhang, Hanming
Session 3b - 11:00 am - 11:50 am 2nd Floor 216
137
22
23
12
15
22
10
12
115
64
32
43

2016 IdeaFest Program Booklet

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